Behind Closet Doors
by Psychedelic Hurricane
Summary: When Randy Boggs joined Monsters University, the last thing he expected was James P. Sullivan. Always one step ahead of him in popularity and on the scare floor, Sullivan is everything that Randy hopes to be. Randy likes college life, but with the stresses of exams and the scare games, he starts to lose it. Only one monster can save him now, but is Sullivan up to the challenge?
1. Prologue

**I've been a longtime Randall fan and I have no life, so I decided to write a story told in Randall's POV based on my interpretation of Monsters University. Basically, this is my AU version of MU. The themes are somewhat darker than those in the movie and I chose to make Randall not quite so sweet and innocent as he's being portrayed in the film because I feel like this is OOC for him. The main pairing in this story is SulleyxRandall, although it's not all that noticeable until you get to chapter fifty, so even if you don't like slash, you can still read the story. This is just the prologue to get us going. The next chapter goes back to Randy's university days. I hope you like it!**

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**Prologue**

I'm an idiot. Anyone who thinks that they can best James P. Sullvian is an idiot. Nobody can beat that shaggy blue monster with bright purple spots who looks more like a cuddly child's toy than a big, scary monster. I had everything just within my grasp when, once again, Sullivan got the better of me. My original plan to become Monster's Inc.'s top notch employee was a good one. What could be a better way to power the city of Monstropolis than with a scream extractor? After all, it takes lots of hard work and precious time to creep into children's bedrooms in the dark of night and scare the living daylight out of them. We get little bits of power from children's screams by working as scarers at Monsters Inc., but the screams that are turned into power and fuel the city are only just enough to get us by. One of these days, there wouldn't be enough power in Monstropolis to keep the city running. First, the electricity will sizzle out, leaving Monstropolis in a murky darkness. After that, all other electronics will shut off and a panic will wind its way through the city faster than you could say one-two-three.

Even though building a scream extractor was mainly for my own benefit, there were also other reasons behind it as well. Building the scream extractor was for the good of everyone living in Monstropolis. Pretty soon, we wouldn't even have needed scarers if my little creation had worked the way it was supposed to work without the intrusion of a certain James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski, Sullivan's loyal scare partner.

Alright, alright, so I didn't think up the plan to build the scream extractor all on my own. I was in cahoots with Waternoose, the overseer of Monsters Inc. Still, that doesn't take away from the brilliancy of my plan and how I would have eventually sent Sullivan out onto the streets once the scream extractors took over Monsters Inc.

Of course, things never work the way you want them to. Something always goes wrong whether it's your fault, your colleague's fault, or, like in my cause, it's the fault of a meddling green eyeball and a shaggy blue monster decked out in purple spots. When a child, supposedly a toxic creature that would kill any monster it made contact with, entered Monsters Inc. through a door I had left activated (we travel into children's bedrooms through doorways that lead from Monsters Inc. into the human world), hell broke loose so to speak. Sullivan got suspicious of me and even - dare I say it? - became attached to the kid.

That thought in itself makes me shudder. Anyway, Sullivan and Wazowski managed to discover my illegal scream extractor and told Waternoose about it, who then proceeded to banish the two of them to the human world. Never one to give up, Sullivan had found an active doorway in the human world and had stolen back to Monstropolis in less than twenty-four hours. My problems should have been over, but due to those nosy idiots, what should have been a quiet, peaceful night turned out to be a chaotic confusion.

When Sullivan and Wazowski found me about to try out my scream extractor on Sullivan's precious kid, they managed to steal the kid away _again_. By this point, I was starting to feel like the idiot. How many times was it going to take for me to get rid of those two impertinent buffoons once and for all?

A chase initiated in which I followed Sullivan and Wazowski armed with their beloved kid through the factory. We ended up riding on doors heading into storage, which in turn, brought us into a gigantic room filled with millions of closet doors which would lead to hundreds of children's bedrooms.

Using my camouflaging ability, I managed to steal the kid out of Sullivan's arms and am now standing on the edge of a doorway with the girl tucked safely under my arm. The doors in the storage room rotate around the immense room until they eventually make their way to the bottomless floor. I am waiting for Sullivan to give up, accept that the kid is in my control now, and admit defeat. Speaking of Sullivan, I don't even know where he is anymore. Did he really fall that far behind me already? Maybe he already gave up.

A smug smile curves my lips into a self-satisfactory smirk. Not particularly fond of the kid clutched to my side, I kick the door I'm clutching the side of open. It leads to a child's bedroom of course. Keeping the door open so I still remain in the factory and don't accidentally morph myself off into the human world, I push the kid roughly inside the doorway and perch on the edge of it, still looking out into the ginormous storage room as if I expect to see Sullivan pop out of midair.

I chide myself inwardly when I start to realize that I actually_ want _to see the furry blue monster. I want to laugh in his face and show him who's really number one in this place. Of course, I shouldn't be thinking like this though. I should be happier if Sullivan lost his grip on the doorway he was traveling on and fell to his death.

Some sort of muscle I forgot I even have twinges in my chest. I look down at myself in shock, wondering where these strange emotions are coming from. I take one hand off of the edge of the doorway and balance on the edge of it using only my left hand while I use the right one to trace the pale expanse of scales across my chest. A faint throbbing makes contact with my palm. Even if I'd like to forget that I have it, I still have that stupid organ that pumps blood through my body and put me through hell years ago. I thought that I was passed all of it, thought that maybe if I tried hard enough, I'd just become heartless after a while. Guess not though. There's still the steady beating of a heart against my palm and the unfamiliar feeling in my chest feels an awful lot like remorse. Even if I've always wanted to best Sullivan, I never exactly wanted him dead...

"Oof!" the sound of heavy breathing from very close by causes me to jump almost a foot into the air and lose my balance.

Thankful for the fact that I still have a firm grip on the doorway and didn't go toppling downward to the painful death that would no doubt have waited for me at the concrete floor of the storage room, I squint and look ahead of myself to detect the source of the noise. Everything in front of me is just as it should be. I see more doors traveling down the railing escalating to the pit of the storage room, but that's it.

More panting sounds from somewhere around me. Suddenly, it occurs to me to look down. Two big, furry hands grasp the bottom of my doorway. James. P Sullivan is dangling onto the bottom of my door in an attempt to play the role of the hero and save his damsel in distress from the terrible monster, which in this case, happens to be me.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," I tell Sullivan, crossing my arms and looking coolly down at him, wondering if he'll lose his grip on the bottom of the door after a moment or two. Nobody can hold onto a doorway dangling in midair for forever. "Come to save your precious kid? I have to admit that I'd thought you'd try to appear to her as a knight in shining armor. You look more like a blundering fool about to fall off of a precipice if you ask me though."

"Randall," Sullivan says my name in a voice that says he doesn't want to play games with me. "Just give me Boo and we can forget all of this. Let's not let silly rivalries and past problems keep us from thinking clearly here."

Sullivan's words cause a flare of fury to rise up within me. My eyes bulge as I shriek, "You_ named_ the thing? You actually gave the kid a name?! This is sick, Sullivan. You make me sick, you pathetic, disgusting, helpless-"

"Randall," again, Sullivan says my name and somehow manages to shut me up with it. I stare at him with daggers as he sighs and says, "All I want is Boo, uh, I mean the kid. Like I said, we can forget that this even happened. I won't have you sent out of Monsters Inc. or have you banished. Well, as long as you promise never to try and pull any of this scream extractor nonsense again. Deal?"

"How do you expect me to trust you? I'm the one who has the advantage here, not you! Besides, I shouldn't trust you. No, scratch that, I can't trust you. You told me that you would never leave me. What happened to that promise of yours, Sullivan? You gave me your damn word, you know," I snap, feeling tears of anger, hurt, and betrayal surge to the corners of my eyes. I blink them back hastily while Sullivan purposefully looks down and avoids my gaze. Coward. My tone of voice rises several notches as I go on, "Exactly. Besides, this was never about the scream extractor. You know what it was about. How can you think that I can actually forget everything from our past? You may have forgotten it, but I haven't and I never will. You chose Wazowski over me even after we...we...fuck you, Sullivan!"

"I'm sorry," Sullivan tells me, sounding just the tiniest bit apologetic as he keeps his eyes focused anywhere but on my face contorted with misery. There is a long silence filled only with my heavy breathing. Sullivan should be the one panting, not me, but I'm too worked up to restrain myself. Looking like he thinks that this is the end of our little chat, Sullivan says hopefully, "Now that we've gotten that taken care of, there's still the matter of Boo to discuss..."

"I don't want to talk about the kid anymore, you selfish moron!" I snap, anger sizzling through my veins as I look down at the big blue monster hanging from my doorway, completely at my mercy. My temper gets the better of me and I swing a foot forward to kick one of Sullivan's hands off of the edge of the doorway. He continues holding onto it with one hand, but looks as if he is going to fall from the door at any moment. Good riddance at this point. All that the idiot is ever going to care about is that stupid kid of his.

"Your time is up, Sullivan," I hiss, my voice going from shrill and high-pitched to low and deadly.

For the first time, something that looks a lot like fear clouds the shaggy monster's eyes. Feeling merciless and resentful, I swing my foot back once again, prepared to send Sullivan falling to his death. I know, I know, I said that I didn't want him dead only a few seconds ago, but his affection for the human creature is making my mind spin.

Before my foot makes contact with Sullivan's hand, something hard and wooden slams down on the back of my head. I whirl around in confusion, muttering, "What the hell...?"

Something small but substantial jumps onto my back, causing me to stagger forward into the child's bedroom I shoved the kid into earlier. Wham, wham, wham! The same hard, heavy thing comes slamming down on my head over and over again. Pain ripples down my spine in fresh, cutting spurts. My scales flash from purple to black to white before they turn a bizarre combination of colors due to the agony coursing through my body. I can usually attempt to control my powers when it comes to my chameleon abilities that allow me to blend in with whatever I happen to be leaning against at any given time. Not today though...

Head spinning tumultuously and my own impulsive shrieks piercing the air, I stumble around the child's bedroom helplessly as I try to avoid further blows to the back of my skull. Before I can dodge the next smack, small, childish hands grab the fronds on the top of my head and yank on them, forcing my head backward before a dizzying whack to my forehead sends me pitching to the ground, writhing in pain. The fronds on the top of my head are extremely sensitive. In fact, they're the most sensitive part of my body. Stroking them will draw a low moan of pleasure out of the back of my throat and yanking on them will cause my vision to blur before my very eyes.

Suddenly, the pounding comes to a halt. I look through bleary eyes to see Sullivan's kid grinning down triumphantly at me, a baseball bat swung over her shoulder. Well, that would certainly explain the smacking. Wondering how best to throttle the kid, I prop myself up onto an elbow before I am grabbed. Again.

Whipping my head to the right, I find myself staring into Sullivan's familiar face. He must have hauled himself into the bedroom while I was trying to fend off the kid. I'm not afraid of a stupid little six-year-old, but Sullivan is strong. He could break my body with one quick, easy snap if he wanted to. Needing to get away, I struggle violently against him in an attempt to get free. Hands grab at my body, trying to secure me against the big blue monster, but I fight on. I remember the way those same hands used to touch my body. The thought makes me insanely rabid and I bite at Sullivan's neck in an attempt to get free. To my surprise, it works! The hairy monster grunts and releases me.

Taking advantage of the situation, I fling myself out of Sullivan's arms, try to get to my feet, but find that I'm too weak to do so. Fine then. I'll crawl out of this damned door if that's what it takes. I slither on my belly like a snake across the floor before pausing and turning slightly to see what Sullivan is doing.

My eyes widen and I gulp as I take note of the big blue monster flying through the air toward me. His lunge works the way he wants it to. Squeezing my eyes shut, I wait to be crushed. ...Except, Sullivan decides_ not_ to crush me. Instead, he pins me to the ground, his weight enough to keep me there, but not enough to shatter my ribs, something he is easily capable of doing.

I'm trapped lying on my back directly beneath Sullivan with no escape. The fight has drained from my body and my strength is gone. In a feeble voice, I attempt to snap, "Let me go!"

Sullivan doesn't let me go. I raise shameful eyes to his face and notice that the enmity once there has been replaced with an expression of nostalgia. I hate the way Sullivan's looking at me, hate the way it reminds me of our past.

"Don't look at me like that," I order weakly, even though a small part of me is feeling slightly satisfied. After all, I've managed to divert the blue monster's attention away from the kid for a few seconds. That's something, isn't it?

"Don't look at you like what?" Sullivan asks blankly, never having been the brightest of monsters even if he is one of the strongest.

"You know exactly what I mean," I glare, summoning the strength in my right arm before swinging it back and slapping the other monster in the face as hard as I can. I don't do it to get away; I do it for vengeance. It's nothing compared to what Sullivan did to me, but the smack still makes me feel a little bit better.

Sullivan blinks twice at me, but doesn't respond to my slap. In fact, he doesn't even look angry. Maybe he knows that he deserves it. Still, it's getting slightly unnerving the way he's continuing to stare at me with that look of nostalgia on his face. What's he thinking about? Is he regretting that big decision he made that tore us apart forever back from our days at Monsters University?

"Hey Sulley? Sulley? You in here - ah!" the familiar, annoying voice of Mike Wazowski sounds from the doorway. I grit my teeth. I don't think that I hate anyone more on this damn planet than the one-eyed cretin. Wazowski takes a few steps into the doorway before coming to a halt when he sees Sullivan and me on the floor together. Clearing his throat, Wazowski says, "Er, that looks awkward. Anyway, good work getting the kid back, Sulley! Let's get this purple people eater out of here and take care of the kid, huh?"

Sullivan blinks again and then turns his eyes from me to Wazowski. Nodding once, but still seeming a little less confident than before, Sullivan grabs my wrist and pulls me to my feet. I sway dangerously to my right and end up leaning against to turquoise monster to keep myself upright.

Nodding once toward the kid still armed with her baseball bat, Sullivan says, "She's not scared of you anymore. Looks like you're out of a job."

"Speak to me in English. My head's still spinning," I complain loudly as the bedroom blurs and contorts, the pounding in my head still mind boggling. "What does that mean for me?"

There is a short silence before Sullivan admits, "Banishment."

"W-what?" I stammer, taken a bit off guard. I expected death, violent but short in comparison to what it could be. Banishment to the human world is a fate even crueler than death, only one that Sullivan would come up with. Eyes still cloudy, I mutter, "Just kill me instead. It'll be easier on both of us."

"I won't kill you, Randall," Sulley says firmly, letting me know that his resolve is firm.

"Okay, come on, people! Let's get this show on the road!" Wazowski complains from across the room, causing me to grit my teeth and glare in his direction.

Sullivan takes a step forward before noticing that I'm too weak to walk. He pauses and then scoops me up into his arms. My heart thuds violently against my chest for more than one reason as I'm dragged toward my doom. Banishment to the human world is the worst fate a monster can bring upon himself. You'll die there, that's really all there is to it. My ending is imminent and my hatred for Wazowski and Sullivan at a feverish pitch, but things weren't always like that. There was a day when the two weren't the closest of friends and when Sullivan's eyes ran right past Wazowski to _me_. Those days at Monsters University, well, those are my only days worth remembering.

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_That's the end of the prologue. Review please! :)_


	2. Chapter I

**Thank you very much to mentalguru for reviewing the last chapter! Reviews are always encouraging. :)  
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**Chapter I  
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Bright, blinding sunlight streams into my bedroom, waking me up with a sudden start. I blink the sleepiness out of my eyes and stare blearily around myself at the strange shapes and contours of my bedroom. I can't see a thing. Guess I'm not going to get very far until I find my glasses. Stretching out a hand to my left, I wave it around midair until it makes contact with something hard and wooden. That would be my nightstand. Hoping that my glasses are sitting right on top of it in a place easy to find, I let my webbed fingertips creep along the smooth surface until a sudden thought comes flooding into my head; today is no ordinary day! My life is gonna change dramatically due to what will happen on this mid-August morning.

After many long years of waiting, eight to be exact, I have finally reached the proper age to attend Monsters University. Every teenage monster wants to go to the university. If you don't go to the university, you'll end up flipping burgers for the rest of your life. Besides, Monsters University allows anyone the chance to pursue their dream job. I already know what my dream job is. I want to be a scarer at Monsters Inc.

The job of a scarer is not relatively difficult, but it is the top of the line job, the crème de la crème. Simply put, before we are incorporated, we have to get educated. I'm excited for the chance to start school. I've never gone out of the house much and haven't ever had any real friends before. Monsters University could change all that. It all depends on how my first day goes...meaning today.

Suddenly anxious, I accidentally forget to move my hand slowly along my nightstand and send my fingertips shooting forward. My hand knocks into something that feels a lot like my glasses. I make a wild grab for them, but it's already too late. A distant crash meets my ears as my glasses fall to the floor.

"Shit," I mutter to myself. If my glasses broke, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I can't go to Monsters University half-blind and I can't ask my mother to buy me another pair of glasses. She has it difficult enough as it is just trying to pay the rent for our small, rundown shack on the corner of Monstropolis, the most populated city of the monster world.

I normally hit the snooze button on my alarm clock about ten times before dragging myself out of bed, but today I blindly tug the thick blankets off of my body and crawl from the mattress to the floor. Careful not to land on my glasses or accidentally crush them, I search the floor aimlessly for anything other than smooth wooden floor. Five minutes later, my hands are still empty and I have no idea where my glasses have run off to. Figuring that they could have slipped under my bed, I lower my body to the floor and slither underneath it, a webbed hand stretched out in front of me as I continue to search pell-mell for the glasses that insist on avoiding me.

Knock, knock, knock! The sound of someone rapping at my bedroom door causes me to jerk upward, which in turn causes me to slam my head against the bed. Gritting my teeth together, I blink back a sound of pain and respond to the knock, "Come in."

Despite my blindness, I manage to make out the shape of the door creaking open and the slender pink figure of my mother entering my bedroom. Like me, my mother is a chameleon who has the ability to blend in with her surroundings. Only thirty-one years old, my mother is relatively young for the parent of a university student. She chooses to keep her scales pink most of the time and has eyes the color of sparkling sapphires. My father left my mother before I was born. I never knew him. Mother works hard to keep us fed and sheltered. Although she never went to the university herself, she has encouraged me to follow my dreams. Without her supporting, I wouldn't be going to the university today in hopes of creating a better future for myself.

"Randy? Where are you?" my mother calls in concern, probably expecting me to be on the bed, where I would have been if my glasses hadn't fallen off of my nightstand and hit the floor.

"Under the bed. I can't find my stupid glasses," I complain from where I'm slumped underneath the bed, trying to calm the pulsing in my forehead that comes from smacking my head against the underside of the bed moments earlier.

"Oh! Your glasses are all the way across the room over here, dear," mother informs me, her distant pink blur leaning down and picking something up from across the floor from me.

"How the hell did they get way over there?" I ask in puzzlement before I slither out from under the bed and cautiously get to my feet, careful not to smack my head against the underside of the bed a second time. My mother takes one of my hands, flips it over, and presses my glasses into it. I immediately put them on, which causes my world to suddenly light up with rich, vibrant colors and sharp images.

While I'm busy taking in my messy, unmade bed in one corner of the room, the pile of my university supplies across from the bed, and my jacket sprawled across the floor, my mother clicks her tongue at me and murmurs, "You've grown up so fast, Randy. It seems like only yesterday you could fit in my arms..."

As much as I love my mother, I am not really in the mood to hear baby stories at the moment. Giving her the look, I complain, "Mom, nobody wants to hear about what I looked like when I was two-years-old. The bus hasn't come yet, has it?"

"No, the bus hasn't come yet," mother shakes her head, looking down at me nostalgically.

The Monsters University bus is making its way through Monstropolis on this mid-August morning to pick up university students ready to go to college. If I miss the bus, I'd either have to wait until next year to go to the university or I'd have to walk there. At this point in my life, I'd be willing to walk there if I had to. Nothing - and I mean absolutely nothing - is going to prevent me from going to the university and making something of myself. All of my life I've lived in poverty. Although my mother does her best for the two of us, we live in a dump and I go to bed with an empty stomach a good three-quarters of the time. I'm not complaining about my lifestyle, but living in destitution has only made me more convinced that I can become a scarer. That job the earns you the most amount of money in all of Monstropolis. Once I become a scarer, I'll have enough money to buy myself a place of my own, get my mother a nicer house away from the slums, and provide us both with an adequate amount of food for survival. If I'm lucky, I'll even have a little spare cash left over.

"Are you still sure that you want to be a scarer?" mother asks me as I make my way over to my pile of school supplies and arrange my heavy books, neatly stacked notepads, and cluster of pens, pencils, and erasers in my arms. "I approve of whatever you want to be. Do whatever is going to make you happy, Randy."

"Being a scarer will make me happy," I reply, balancing the precarious pile of school supplies in my arms as I trek back toward the door, pausing to give my mother a light kiss on the cheek as I add, "Having enough money to support you and me will make me happy. Besides, you have to admit that I'm perfectly cut out for the job. How many other monsters do you know who can blend in with their surroundings?"

"Not many," mother admits after a few moments of thought. She follows me to the living room where we both stand by the window badly in need of washing while we wait for the bus. Mother sighs from where she leans against our faded, lopsided sofa and adds, "I just don't want you to feel like you _have_ to be a scarer for my sake if that's not what you want to do."

"I want to be a scarer. I'm not just doing it for you," I reply fervently, glancing at my reflection through the glass of the grimy window. I see the figure of an almost mature light purple chameleon with vivid green eyes staring back at me. I don't particularly like or dislike my appearance although I have to admit that I wouldn't mind a new pair of glasses. I've had these big, circular ones since I was six. They look like a kid's pair of glasses, which is fine for a six-year-old, but looks a little strange on an eighteen-year-old.

"Well, alright then," mother says, finally deciding to believe me as I continue staring at my reflection. "But remember that I don't care what you end up being as long as you're happy."

"Right," I reply, resisting rolling my eyes as a large white bus with bright blue letters spelling out the words "Monsters University" on its side comes rolling around the corner of the street. I immediately dash toward the door, calling over my shoulder, "There's the bus! I'd better go. I don't wanna be late and have to walk to school."

I have my hand on the doorknob when my mother touches my shoulder and turns me around to face her. She gives me an affectionate smile and a quick hug, murmuring quickly, "I know that you've never been to school before, but I have a good feeling about this. Just try not to lose yourself along the way. You don't have to try to fit in with the popular kids or make yourself a part of a clique. You're perfect just the way you are. I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too, but winter break will be here before you know it. Time flies; you know that," I say, giving my mother an encouraging smile before I twist open the doorknob and step from the confines of our shabby house into the bright sunlight.

With my mother's words of good luck still ringing in my ears, I tilt my face upward to soak in some of the sunlight. It couldn't be a nicer day for starting college. The skies are turquoise blue, the sun is warm and bright, and a slight breeze keeps my scales from getting scorched. Careful not to accidentally drop my school supplies on my way to the bus stop, I enjoy the perfect weather and come to a halt a few minutes later directly in front of the bus.

Screech! The large white vehicle comes to a halt, its large glass doors swinging open to welcome me inside the bus. The bus driver, a female monster who resembles a snake with a forked tongue and armless body calls out, "All university students come this way! Calling all university students! Please make your way into the vehicle now!"

I flinch as the woman's screeches fill my ears. Trying to get away from her before my eardrums burst, I quickly climb up the stairs that lead me to aisle of the bus. Already, the bus is packed full of monsters in their late teens and early twenties chatting excitedly amongst themselves. It seems as if I'm not the only one looking forward to going to college. Unfortunately, the crowded bus means that I'm gonna have to sit next to stranger by the looks of things. I've been a loner my entire life and sitting next to another monster makes me a little jumpy.

I'm busy looking for an empty seat somewhere - anywhere at this point - on the bus when a bright lime green monster about a foot shorter than me and three times my width dashes out into the isle in front of me. The monster is shaped like an eyeball and is wearing a Monsters University hat as well as a matching scarf despite the fact that it's summer and there's no need to wear a scarf this time of year.

Without looking where he's going, the one-eyed monster hurries forward, waving a hand desperately in the air as he calls out to the bus driver, "Mrs. Crawford? I forgot something! Stop the bus! It's _really_ important!"

Oblivious of my presence, the circular-shaped monster crashes into me, sending my books, notepads, pencils, pens, and erasers spilling onto the floor. I bite back a curse as the monster finally spares a quick glance in my direction before saying distractedly, "Oops, sorry." After that, he immediately goes back to calling out, "Mrs. Crawford, did you hear me?"

I watch the green eyeball whiz down the bus aisle, hoping that everyone else here is a bit more civilized. Sighing loudly, I look down at the mess of opened books, crinkled papers, and scattered school supplies littered all over the aisle in front of me. Well, my mess certainly ain't gonna clean itself up. I drop to the ground and start gathering my school supplies up, my cheeks flushing a light shade of pink as my crawling around the floor attracts the attention of a few students sitting next to me.

I've just about gotten my things back together after my encounter with the rude eyeball when I notice a hand holding one of my pencils extended toward me. Glancing up in surprise, I find myself face-to-face with a cream-colored monster with five eyes and a friendly grin on his face. The monster is slightly pudgy and is wearing a green baseball cap and a matching green sweatshirt.

"Hey there," the monster standing in front of me says, the friendly smile still on his lips as I hesitantly take my pencil from him. "I'm Scott Squibbles, but everyone calls me Squishy. It's not a name I like very much, but you get used to it after a while, you know?"

"Um, yeah. Right," I nod as if I know what it's like to have a nickname. Actually, I _do_ know what it is like to have a nickname. Mother calls me Randy instead of my real name, Randall. She says it has a "nicer effect on the ear" whatever that's supposed to mean.

Suddenly, the bus jerks forward and Scott and I practically fall face first, but manage to save ourselves by grabbing the edges of the bus seats on the left side of the aisle. Scott lets out a sigh of relief and says, "Whew, that was a close one. We'd better sit down. Come on!"

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_Review please! :)_


	3. Chapter II

**Wow, such encouraging reviews! Thank you all so much! I'm going to reply to them below since I'm getting more than one now...  
**

**Mentalguru: I agree with you completely about posting on here and dA. I honestly think that the story is much easier to read on here, you know? Aw man, I'm sorry about what you have to go through with your glasses. I have contacts myself actually and it's hell when I lose one of them because I end up half blind and I can never find the missing contact, lol. And too true...let's cross our fingers about the bus driver! Thanks for your review. :)**

**Energy witch: Hiya! I've been talking to you a bit on dA! :D Thank you for reading this story! Means a lot to me!**

**BlackAutumnCrow: Yay, another RandallxSulley fan! Awesome! *high fives you* I was starting to think that I was the only fan of this pairing. I'm glad you enjoy reading in Randall's POV because all of the chapters are in his POV! Actually, no, Sulley and Mike are just really close friends, but Randall is really jealous of their tight friendship, you know? Thank you tons for reviewing this!**

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**Chapter II  
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Scott Squibbles' friendliness almost unnerves me, but since I don't have anyone else to follow, I keep my school supplies clutched tightly to my chest and follow the jelly-like monster to the very back of the bus. Loud, annoyed muttering from behind me causes me to glance over my shoulder. The lime green one-eyed monster is stalking back down the aisle with his fists clenched in annoyance. Apparently, the bus driver decided not to pay any attention to his begging and pleading to return home to get whatever it is that he's forgotten to bring with him. Despite myself, I feel a toothy smile of satisfaction cross my lips. The eyeball deserves this for whacking into me earlier with only a muttered apology on his part. At that moment, the green monster, still decked out in his Monsters University scarf and hat, looks up and meets my amused smirk. This just causes his knuckles to turn white as he clenches his fists even more tightly. This really shouldn't amuse me, but I would be lying if I said that it didn't. My lip curls a little higher before I flick my tail and return to following Scott down the aisle to the very back of the bus.

"Here we are!" Scott exclaims in his genuinely amiable voice as he motions to three bus seats to our right, one of them occupied and two of them unoccupied. Scott plops down on the middle seat before he waves me onto the one closest to the aisle, saying, "Sit down before you accidentally fall over! I've already fallen over twice today. I was trying to talk to some friends when the bus started and I ended up falling flat on my face. By the way, I don't think that I ever got your name."

"It's Randy. Randy Boggs," I say a bit formally, sticking out a webbed, violet-colored hand to Scott. "Nice to meet you."

Scott takes my hand and shakes it enthusiastically, saying, "It's nice to meet you too. This over here is Don Carlton. He's actually been to Monsters University before! Awesome, right? Anyway, he's following his dream and is studying the art of scaring in detail, right, Don?"

I look over Scott's green baseball cap to get a better look at Don Carlton. If I thought that Scott was chubby, then Don is definitely obese. He has small, beady eyes, a large brown mustache that dominates his face, and a mostly brown body. It occurs to me that he resembles a walrus from the human world.

"That's right, Scott. This is my second year at the university. You're both going to love it. Just stay away from the bad crowds and you'll be find," Don says in a reassuring voice, which appears to have the opposite effect on Scott. The five-eyed monster visibly gulps and frowns. Not noticing his friend's reaction, Don looks over Scott's head to give me a friendly nod, saying, "Nice to meet you, Randy."

"Ditto," I nod in return, not a particularly talkative chameleon unless I have something important to say, which at the moment, I don't.

Scott is still frowning and I have a feeling that he is mulling over what Don said about the "bad crowds". However, the green-capped monster doesn't seem to want to voice his fears aloud and keeps them to himself for the time being. We fall into a comfortable silence. Don opens a book in his lap and starts skimming through it while Scott leans over his shoulder in interest and starts asking questions about Don's book. I let my gaze roam over the nearby bus seats, wanting to get a look at the other monsters I'll be studying with.

Monsters in general tend to come in a wide variety of all different sizes, shapes and colors. There are tall, thin monsters and short, fat ones. Some monsters have stripes while others have polka dots. You just never know what to expect from a group of monsters. The cluster of monsters crammed together in the bus seats surrounding me are no exception to this rule. I take note of an odd purple striped monster the shape of an arch with shaggy fur, a sleek green monster with five eyes extending in all different directions, and a one-eyed female monster. This is the first girl monster that I've seen since I stepped onto the bus. Her hair is purple, her eyes - wait, eye - big with long lashes, and her skin a warm pink color.

Unable to help myself, I interrupt Don and Scott's conversation and nod in the direction of the girl, asking, "Who's that?"

Scott immediately looks up and glances in the direction I'm pointing in. Just like I suspected, Scott knows who the girl is. He seems to know just about everyone. Looking more than happy to rattle off information about the girl, Scott says, "Oh, that's Celia Mae. She lives down the street from me, but I never get to talk to her. She's out of my league if you know what I mean."

"She's only out of her league if you think that way," I say apathetically before smirking inwardly and adding, "Can't wait until she meets that other one-eyed monster."

"Oh, oh, oh!" Scott exclaims, practically jumping out of his seat excitedly as he goes on, "I know who you mean! You're talking about the green guy, aren't you? I haven't ever seen him before in my entire life, which is really saying something since I know pretty much everyone around here. My mom sometimes drops by to bring supplies over to Monsters Inc., you see."

"I know who you're talking about," Don says in a calm voice, causing both Scott and I to look over at him in curiosity. Without lifting his eyes from the page of his book, Don continues on in his bored monotone, "That's Mike Wazowski. He's got quite an ego from what I've heard. He's training to be a scarer, or at least, that's what he intends to do."

"Great," I mutter sarcastically, hoping that I won't be forced to work in close contact with this Wazowski fellow. I already don't like him and I've only known him for what? Five minutes?

The bus suddenly lurches to another abrupt stop, causing all three of us to grip our chairs in an attempt not to go flying forward and slam our heads into the backs of the seats in front of us. I glance eagerly outside the window in hopes of seeing Monsters University, but all I see is another bus stop sign. I sigh and turn my gaze back to the fake leather material of the seats in front of me. There are cracks in the squishy material and I feel the random impulse to trace them out of sheer boredom.

"Er, Don?" Scott finally says, his voice higher pitched than usual. The walrus-like monster finally raises his head from his book and cocks an eyebrow at Scott. Looking embarrassed, Scott goes on in a rush, "I was thinking about what you said earlier. What did you mean by the 'bad crowds'? Are there criminals here at Monsters University?"

"Criminals? Nah, there are just some folk you want to stay away from like...that guy for example," Don says, pointing to a very peculiar monster floating down the aisle toward us. The monster is a black blob with spines jutting out from his body. In the center of the black figure is one bright, crimson eye. Scott and I quickly look away from him, Scott gulping again and nodding quickly to Don.

The strange monster finds a seat in one of the rows ahead of us, causing the atmosphere around us to ease slightly. Don and Scott start up a conversation about weekend activities. I could join them, I suppose, but silence is easier for me than chitchat. I keep to myself and wonder how much longer it is going to take to reach out destination with all these bus stops in between.

Thump, thump, thump. Loud, floor-shaking footsteps sound from the aisle in front of me. My head automatically raises as I look forward to detect the source of the thuds. I blink rapidly as I take in what has to be the biggest monster I've ever seen. The shaggy blue monster with a big smile on his face and two small horns on his head strides down the aisle, looking very much at home here. His eyes are a light blue color that can only be described as lapis lazuli. Several bright purple polka dots decorate the monster's back.

Realizing that I'm staring, I blink and start to turn my eyes to the floor when the turquoise monster meets my gaze. He gives me the same smile that he's giving everyone else and then turns to the female monster sitting one row ahead of my row, saying, "Hey Celia. Mind if I join you?"

"No, I don't mind," Celia replies, moving over to the right to allow the shaggy monster to sit next to her. She sighs melodramatically and points out, "I just hope that I haven't forgotten anything..."

I watch Celia twist her hands around in her lap for a few more minutes, thinking that the girl and Wazowski have more in common than just their single eye. Since there is a lull in the conversation between Don and Scott, I elbow Scott lightly and nod towards the ginormous monster with the deep voice sitting a row in front of us, asking quietly, "Who's that? Big guy, don't you think?"

"That's James P. Sullivan," Scott says, eager to show off his knowledge of our fellow students as usual. "He's really nice. I think that he's related to my aunt's cousin somehow...or wait. Maybe it was my aunt's sister? I forgot."

Don, who has decided to take a break from his book for the time being, catches a glimpse of Sullivan and whistles a low whistle under his breath, exclaiming, "That monster's going to be a great scarer someday, mark my words about that. Look how perfect his build is. With those strong muscles, glistening teeth, and sharp horns, he's bound to scare any kid he runs into."

Scott nods and chimes in, "Yeah, he'll probably steal the scare record from the top scarer when he graduates from Monsters University and starts working at Monsters Inc. I'm glad that I'm not studying to be a scarer. It's a good thing that my mom doesn't care what I want to be as long as I'm happy."

A small smile of irony curves up the corners of my lips as I realize that Scott's mother sounds an awful lot like my own mother. For some reason, I find my eyes still on Sullivan even though Scott is talking. Don speaks to me and steals my attention away from the shaggy beast, asking, "What are you studying to be, Randy?"

"I'm gonna be a scarer," I reply in a matter-of-fact voice. A long, drawn-out silence follows my statement. Scott and Don stare at me with dubious expressions on their faces. I cross my slender arms over my chest and say in a mock playful voice, "Thanks for the support."

"I'm not trying to be not supportive. It's just that...well...aren't scarers supposed to look scary?" Scott asks with a shrug of his shoulders.

"It's not all about physique. There's also talent and knowing when to use the proper moves involved. Know what I mean?" I ask before deciding to dazzle my new friends a bit. I'm not usually a show-off or one to attract attention to myself, but I am feeling a little put off seeing that the doubtful looks are still plastered on Scott's and Don's faces. Leaning forward, I drop my tone of voice a few notches, whispering, "For example, I can blend in with my surroundings if I want to."

"Really?" Scott asks, eyes lighting up in interest immediately. "You mean like you can go invisible?"

"Yeah, something like that," I nod, glad to have succeeded in wiping the patronizing look off of both Don's and Scott's faces. "It scares kids and little monsters too. I might have to use that move on Wazowski sometime, huh?"

Don chuckles and raises an eyebrow, asking, "You've already got a rivalry going with Wazowski, have you? I guess that only makes sense seeing as you're both training to be scarers."

"He slammed into me and caused me to drop all of my school supplies earlier," I admit in a grudging voice, none too eager to forgive the selfish cyclops. "I reckon a scare or two would do him good."

Scott's five eyes continue looking at me in a whole new light. Knowing about my "magical" ability seems to have made my status increase dramatically in Scott's book. The jelly-like monster leans toward me eagerly and says, "You don't have to wait to go invisible to have to scare someone, right? Can you do it now? I really want to see."

"Sure," I reply smoothly with a shrug of my shoulders as if I'm about to do something completely effortless.

Turning into the color of my surroundings has never been particularly difficult for me before. All I have to do is block out all the ongoing activity around myself and concentrate. As long as my concentration is locked onto whatever I'm trying to disappear against, my talent works without failure. It's a little more difficult to concentrate with all of the loud chitchat going on inside the bus, but I manage to get my mind focused...until Sullivan chooses that exact moment to glance over at me. I immediately lose concentration and get the eerie feeling that he's been listening into our conversation this entire time.

I fight to regain my concentration, but part of my mind stays focused on the shaggy blue monster watching me curiously from out of the corner of his eye. To help myself focus, I squeeze my eyes shut and attempt to blend in with my surroundings. Not daring to open my eyes in case that will break my concentration, I ask Scott, "Is it working?"

"Um, no. Nothing happened," Scott replies, sounding disappointed.

"Damn," I snap, opening my eyes and noting that my violent colored scales are still glistening in the sunlight pouring through the bus windows. I catch the look Scott is sending me and protest, "It really _does_ work! I've been able to camouflage myself every other time before today. I just can't seem to concentrate right now."

"Uh huh," Scott nods, but I can easily hear from the tone of his voice that he's really thinking "yeah right".

I grit my teeth together to keep myself from losing my short temper. Looking up ahead of myself, I find Sullivan tilting his head away from me and looking back over towards Celia, a satisfied smile on his face. It's as if he knows that I'll never be half the scarer he's going to be. Hmph. Well, I'll show him. Sooner or later, we'll all know who the top scarer at Monsters University is gonna be.

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_Review please! :)_


	4. Chapter III

**Many thanks to Energy witch for reviewing the last chapter! Your comment means a lot to me. :D  
**

* * *

**Chapter III  
**

The rest of the bus ride to Monsters University flies by uneventfully. Don and Scott continue to chat just to burn up time. I end up hearing a little more than I want to know about Scott's cousins and end up drowning out his excited voice after a while. Preferring to glance inconspicuously at the monsters surrounding me than to engage in conversation, especially after embarrassing myself earlier, I let my eyes flick from monster to monster. The bus is packed full without a single empty seat remaining. I wonder how many of these students have dreams of becoming the school's top scarer. It's common knowledge that one student will be awarded the title of top scarer at the end of the year. I aim to strive for it and best everyone who stands in my way such as the enormous James P. Sullivan and the rude, arrogant Wazowski. As soon as I get my camouflaging capabilities under control, I intend to unleash them full on Wazowski. Heh.

Like before, the bus' tires come to a loud screeching halt that reminds me a lot of the sound of claws scraping across a chalkboard. Everyone winces and grabs the bus seats ahead of themselves to keep from flying forward. I don't even bother to look outside this time, figuring that we've arrived at another bus stop like all the times before until I hear excited chatter break out from all around me. The muted chitchat is long gone as students get to their feet and crowd the windows and the aisle in an attempt to get their first look at Monsters University.

Like the others, I am immediately on my feet even though it doesn't do me much good. Don and Scott are already crowded in front of the window, and since we're located at the very back of the bus, it looks like it's gonna be a long time until I get one foot off of this vehicle and onto the pebbled pathway leading up to Monsters University.

Shoving my glasses further up my nose so I don't accidentally lose them, I tap one foot impatiently and watch the students push and shove each other on their way through the aisle to the front of the bus. One voice in particular is shouting, "Let me through, let me through! I need to get my room key!"

Ugh, it's Wazowski again. I go ahead and roll my eyes since no one is paying attention to me. Well, I _thought_ that no one was paying attention to me. As soon as I let my eyes scan two inches to my right, I notice Sullivan's light blue gaze on me. He looks amused as if he can read my thoughts even though I know that's stupid. Nobody can read minds. Still, I notice his lips quirk up into a little smile in my direction before he takes his turn stepping out into the aisle with the rest of the monsters from his row.

As Sullivan steps forward, he accidentally drops a ball point pen he was balancing on top of his pile of books. I react immediately and slink my hand forward to catch the pen before it can hit the ground. Even if I can't pride myself on mastering my camouflaging abilities quite yet, I can still pride myself on my ultra fast reflexes.

Straightening up, I observe the pen casually between two webbed fingers before looking out from under my eyelids at Sullivan. He holds out a furry hand with sharp, curled black claws at the tip of each finger. Not wanting to accidentally pierce my rather sensitive skin on one of those claws, I drop the pen into Sullivan's hand, still not directly meeting his gaze.

"Thanks," Sullivan says, flashing me a grateful smile that reveals a set of glistening white teeth. Geez, his smile is almost blinding. He'll scare kids with that alone.

"No biggie," I reply succinctly, my mind already coming up with a list of qualities I have that Sullivan doesn't have when it comes to scaring. I can't think of many besides for my camouflaging talent and my quick reflexes. Sullivan clearly has the upper hand in this. I'm going to have to plan and come up with strategic moves if I want to become the school's top scarer and-

Only now do I realize that Sullivan just asked me something, but that I was too busy scheming to realize hear it was. My cheeks flare an unattractive shade of dark red while Sullivan, obviously aware of my discomfort, waves a hand as if waving the question away as he says, "Well, I guess I'd better go. I'll see you around."

"See ya," I nod, trying to maintain my last shred of dignity after zoning out while Sullivan was trying to talk to me. My relatively good mood immediately turns black. Although I've never been diagnosed with anything, I wouldn't be surprised if I turn out to be bipolar considering my abrupt, sometimes violent mood swings.

The longer I stand with my arms folded across my chest, the moodier I get. Before I even learn one monster's name on the bus, I create an enemy, I make a fool of myself by crawling around the floor gathering up my school supplies, and now Sullivan probably thinks that I'm an idiot for not listening to his question and instead plotting about how to become the school's top scarer. Great. My first day at Monsters University is going swimmingly and I haven't even set one foot on Monsters University soil yet!

"Er, Randy? You going to move, buddy?" Don's voice enters my ears from what seems like a long distance away.

I snap my head up and suddenly realize that the aisle is empty. My cheeks flush an even darker shade of red as I quickly dodge into the aisle and scuttle to the front of the bus. I keep my eyes on the floor littered with dirt, candy wrappers, and chewed gum until I reach the doors leading out of the bus. Taking a deep breath, I step down them and come to a halt as I see Monsters University for the first time.

I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting Monsters University to look like, but this is anything beyond the simple images of a university my mind conjured up in my head. The university is without a doubt the largest building I've ever seen in my entire life. Yet, despite its enormous size, it doesn't seem threatening at all. Its white and blue paint make it look friendly and welcoming. A gate surrounds the school, but is opened wide at the moment to usher students onto the school grounds. The grass surrounding the school is a bright shade of verdant green and rows of spiky ferns and bushes surround the building in the distance. Large, whitish cobblestones form a pathway from the street to the school and to the five smaller buildings also painted bright white and navy blue to the left of the school. I figure that I'll learn what those buildings are used for soon enough.

"Nice place, huh, Randy?" Scott asks me, not looking quite as awed as I look as he comes to a halt to my right. A large thud sounds as Don hits the ground next to us.

A random thought occurs to me as I realize that I think of Scott and Don by their first names and Sullivan and Wazowski by their last names. It seems as if I've placed the four in different groups. Scott and Don are friendly and open-minded and are no threat to my goal of becoming the school's top scarer by the end of the year. Both Sullivan and Wazowski are rivaling me for that record and both have things that I don't have; brute strength and a quick temper, respectively.

"I didn't know that it was gonna be so big," I point out mutely, hoping that all of my classes are located on the same floor so I don't have to look like the idiot kid with a map glued to his face for the first few weeks of school.

"It's big alright," Don agrees with me as the three of us start down the cobblestone path toward the school, all of us clutching out books to our chests and wondering what the future has in store for us.

An adult female monster wearing a long, dark blue dress is standing ahead of us, waving in two different directions as she calls out, "Returning students go to my left please! All new students proceed straight on ahead! Again, returning students to my left!"

"Well, I guess that's my cue to get out of here," Don says, slapping both Scott and me on the backs. Scott holds his ground, but the slap causes me to stumble forward. Looks like I'm gonna have to hit the gym and work on building some muscles. Don waves cheerfully to us and says, "I'm sure that we'll see each other again at dinner. Good luck finding your rooms!"

"Thanks! Bye, Don!" Scott calls after our friend as he separates from our group. Not in the mood to shout, I wave along with Scott without saying anything. Scott, however, seems to feel like silence is a virus and immediately feels the need to talk as soon as Don leaves, saying, "I know for a fact that we don't actually start our classes today. I think that we just go into the big building there and get our room keys and our schedules. I'm not really sure though. It's not like I've ever done this before."

"Yeah, me neither," I point out the obvious just to let Scott know that I still have a voice. I reach up and scratch my forehead, pushing the sensitive fronds on the top of my head out of the way as a question I didn't think of earlier suddenly pops into my mind. My stomach tightens into a knot as I ask, "You said that we have to get our room keys...are we gonna be sharing these rooms?"

"Yup. We have roommates if that's what you're asking. It's two to a room. At least, that's what Don told me," Scott says, confirming my fears as we approach the tall doors that extend several feet above our heads. Humming cheerfully under his breath, Scott tries to push open the door. It doesn't move. Scott tries again. Still nothing. Glaring at the door, the jelly-like monster throws his entire weight against it in an attempt to get the stupid thing open. Yet again, it remains firmly closed.

"What now?" I ask, a little irked because of the news about having to share my room with another student. I guess that I should have figured this all along, but it just never occurred to me up until a few moments ago. Sighing, I look at Scott, thinking that it looks really pathetic not to be able to open a door.

"I can't get it open," Scott admits sheepishly, kicking at the door and immediately grabbing his toe, yelling, "Ouch!"

I flick my eyes upward before saying, "Watch and learn."

I prepare to fling the tall doors to the school open in one easy motion, but the doors decide not to cooperate with me. Just like with Scott, they stay firmly shut. Glowering daggers at the heavy door, I slam my elbow into it. Still, nothing happens. Glancing over at Scott, I meet the monster's eyes and pass an unspoken message to him. On the count of three, we both run forward and slam our body weight against the door. If this doesn't get the door open, than nothing will.

...The door_ still_ doesn't open. At the end of my patience, I raise a fist and start hammering on the door, calling out, "Open up!"

Before the door can open up from the inside of the school, the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching Scott and me cause me to come to a sudden halt. For the second time today, I find myself red-cheeked and humiliated as Sullivan comes swaggering up to the towering doors. My eyes narrow and I wonder where he came from. Wasn't he ahead of me earlier when we were on the bus? Paranoia sets in and I start wondering if the giant blue lout is following me.

Pointing an accusatory finger at him to distract us from my idiocy, I ask, "How did you end up here? I thought that you were already in the school."

"I took a little detour," Sullivan says casually, not looking disconcerted at all by my sudden short temper. He cracks his knuckles and scrutinizes the tall doors barring our path, asking, "Having some trouble with the doors? I'll make fast work of them."

Making it look like the easiest thing in the world, Sullivan reaches forward and opens the door without even breaking a sweat. My face heats up and I turn away from Sullivan and the open doorway jealously. If only I had strength like his...

"Oh, wow! That was_ amazing_, Mr. Sullivan!" Scott immediately gushes, looking up at Sullivan as if the blue monster is now his new hero. "Thanks for your help."

"Hey, no problem. Anytime you need a door opened, I'm your monster," Sullivan says with a grin, causing both him and Scott to chuckle while I gaze at them both calculatingly out of the corners of my eyes. My bitterness has already begun to settle a bit and I no longer feel like kicking something. Sullivan takes a step forward before turning back to Scott and adding, "By the way, just call me Sulley. There's no need for 'Mr. Sullivan'. It makes me think that you're talking to someone else."

Scott nods happily, still looking at Sullivan as if he's a god. Since my spurt of envy has mostly retreated, I feel like I ought to thank Sullivan for getting the door open for us too. Clearing my throat, I nod towards the opened doorway and say, "Thanks for that."

"Like I said, it's no problem," Sullivan says before sending a wink in my direction and adding, "Now we're even."

With that said, the shaggy blue monster disappears and gets swallowed up in the crowd swarming just inside of the school. I look after him with a curious look on my face. What did he mean by "now we're even"? It's as if Sullivan already knows that we're going to end up being rival scarers.

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_Review please! :)_


	5. Chapter IV

**Mentalguru: Thanks! I'm so glad you liked the chapter. :) I agree with you about Randall; Sulley isn't exactly helping his flusteredness. ...Er, that's not a word, is it? I should make up my own dictionary or something. xD  
**

**Energy witch: You're right about Mike; he's definitely not the brightest. xP I always remember in MU how he constantly forgets to turn in his paperwork. xD At least Sulley's around to help, right? And aw, thank you very much! Your support is really appreciated. :)**

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**Chapter IV  
**

I tear my eyes away from Sullivan and concentrate on figuring out where exactly I'm supposed to be in this chaos of monsters. The room Scott and I have just entered is huge with tall ceilings and several hallways extending from it. I can make out lockers lining one of the hallways and a stairway leading up from a different hallway. A large desk at one side of the room catches my attention. A friendly looking monster that actually resembles Scott to some extent is sitting behind the desk wearing a Monsters University hat and jacket. A long line of monsters weaves back and forth in front of this desk. I may be wrong, but it looks as if all new students are supposed to get in this line. Judging by the looks of things, we're going to be waiting here for a very long time.

"Oh hey, look!" Scott suddenly exclaims over the cacophony of voices reverberating throughout the spacious room. He points excitedly at the monster behind the desk and says, "That's my cousin, Bryan!"

I nod absentmindedly, already picking my way through the crowd so I can get into the line and wait the least amount of time possible. The loud voices echoing around me are already making my ears ring. It's strange having spent most of my life doing odds and ends jobs while living in the little shack with my mother and now being plunged into this very different environment. I wouldn't say that I don't like it - it's just different. I shove my glasses further up on my nose again and come to the end of the line only to find that I'm standing behind none other than Wazowski!

I come to a halt and send the monster in front of me a wary glance. He hasn't seen me yet, but I highly doubt that I'll be able to make my way all the way through this long, winding line without being detected. Unfortunately, Scott does not help my situation out at all. In fact, he makes it a whole lot worse.

"Whatcha doing, Randy?" Scott asks me in a loud tone as he steps all the way up to the end of the line behind Wazowski. "We're supposed to get in line, I think."

I wince at the loud tone of Scott's voice and hold my breath, waiting to see whether or not Wazowski will notice me. Sure enough, the one-eyed cretin has already turned around and has focused his single eye on me. Frowning, he points an accusatory finger at my chest and asks, "Hey, are you trying to stalk me or something? I've only been in the university for three minutes and I find you right here behind me! I ran into you twice on the bus already."

"Oh please," I roll my eyes in disdain at the cyclops who has obviously jumped to conclusions. "Give me one good reason why I'd want to stalk you."

"It could have to do with the fact that I'm going to be the school's top scarer or you could just be jealous of my good looks," Wazowski says as if these are perfectly normal reasons for someone to want to follow him around. I blink once, unsure if I actually heard the green monster right. I don't think that I've ever met someone so full of himself before.

"Yeah, sure," I reply flatly, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I go on, "Or it could also have to do with the fact that you're a loud-mouthed, pathetic, arrogant jughead."

Wazowski stares at me blankly for a moment. I stare right on back at him. I haven't ever met a monster I like less than Wazowski before. This monster just has a way of getting under my scales and setting my tongue lose. My shyness disappears around him and my stronger sardonic side comes out.

Finally, Wazowski says, "I don't know what a jughead is, but that doesn't sound too complimentary. Remind me to look it up on my laptop when I get to my room."

"A jughead is what monsters use to describe a one-eyed cretin like yourself," I reply smoothly, not caring if I'm being insulting or not. Wazowski brought this all down on himself. After all, it was he who ran into me earlier and made me drop all of my books, and it was also he who accused me of stalking him. Ugh. Like I'd ever want to stalk someone like Wazowski!

"I don't know what a cretin is either, but you can be sure that I'll look it up as soon as I get into my room," the bright green monster says, causing me to stare down at him patronizingly. I sigh, thinking that Wazowski really ought to go back home and read a dictionary instead of spending his next year at the university. I can practically read the cyclops' mind as he scrutinizes me, no doubt looking for some way or the other to insult me. He picks out one of my more noticeable features and asks, "So when did you get those glasses of yours? I heard that they were really popular back when my mom was in school. That was like...thirty years ago."

My temper bristles, but I manage to keep myself calm as I reply steadily, "I got them sooner than thirty years ago, not like it's any of your business."

"Yeah, well, it_ is_ kind of my business seeing as I have to share a school with you," Wazowski says as if he suddenly owns the place. My god, is this monster for real? Looking as if he's just trying to give me friendly advice and not trying to humiliate me, which is what he is obviously trying to do, Wazowski goes on, "I mean, why don't you just get some newer ones? These make you look like a nerd. Of course, maybe you are a nerd and in that case you're going for this look, which is totally fine-"

"Can it, Wazowski," I snap, finally having had enough. I turn the power of my rabid emerald eyes on the shorter monster and add, "I can't afford new ones, alright?"

"Oh. That's...that's really sad. I feel bad for you," the irritating green eyeball says, feigning sympathy for me before his eye narrows and he points his finger at me again, asking, "Say, how do you know my name? You just gave me proof that you really are stalking me!"

"It's called mental telepathy," I say, deciding to try and scare Wazowski, dropping my voice to a whisper just audible to his ears. A smirk flicks across my mouth and I can't help but add, "Ever heard of it? Probably not. You should look it up while you're looking up the meanings of all of those other words I told you."

Wazowski's fists curl into tight little balls, which somehow helps to ease my own anger. The green monster searches his head for a good comeback, but apparently nothing comes to his mind. He is saved from his predicament by the monster behind the desk who resembles Scott waving him forward. Wazowski turns and gives me one last glare before muttering something that sounds a lot like "four-eyed freak" under his breath.

Surprised that Scott has kept quiet all during my conversation with the cyclops, I turn around to see what the jelly-like monster is doing. As usual, Scott has found someone else to talk to and is yammering away to them about something or the other. I decide not to jut myself into their conversation and instead keep my narrowed eyes on Wazowski as the monster behind the desk smiles and gives him a room key. Only now do I realize that Wazowski is wearing a retainer. If he keeps up the four-eyed freak thing, I can call him metal mouth.

"Next!" the monster behind the desk calls out, waving me forward as he sends Wazowski on his way. The circular monster observes his room card intently before scurrying along the busy hallways. I don't have much more to say to him than good riddance.

I step up to the desk as confidently as I can, finding that I have lost a little bit of my usual shyness due to my recent heated conversation with the green eyeball. Unsure if I'm supposed to tell the monster my name or something else, I say a-matter-of-factly, "I'm Randy Boggs."

"Alright, Mr. Boggs. Let me find your file a moment," the monster behind the desk replies to me in a cheerful tone of voice as he shuffles through a very large stack of paperwork on his desk and then turns to one of the desk drawers, apparently not having found the file he is looking for. I end up holding my breath until the monster selects a file and opens it up. He skims the papers inside it and smiles appreciatively at me as he says, "Training to be a scarer, huh? Good luck with that! Here's your class schedule and your room key."

"Thanks," I tell the monster with small smile as I reach out and delicately take the flimsy piece of paper with my class schedule on it along with my rectangular card key. I hesitate, knowing that there is a long line behind me, but needing to know the answer to one quick question. Leaning forwards, I ask, "Do you know who my roommate is?"

"I can look it up for you if you want," the monster tells me helpfully enough as he opens yet another drawer and starts searching through papers, files, books, and scattered sticky notes. After a moment, he stops searching and then looks up at me, saying, "You'll be staying with one-eyed Doom. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

I shake my head and quickly retreat out of the way since I can hear a lot of monsters still in line complaining loudly about the long wait from somewhere behind me. I could go and try to find my room on my own, but I decide to wait for Scott. Unlike me, he seems to know a little bit about what he's doing. While I wait for Scott, I decide to look over my school schedule to see what subjects I have. My eyes skim the small font until I find my classes list. It appears as if I'm going to be taking math, the history of Monstropolis, a class on scaring history, a class that actually lets you practice scaring, art, science, and gym. All in all, it doesn't look like too bad of a schedule. Yeah, math is a pain and science and history will be boring, but at least I have two scaring courses.

"Hey Randy! I got my schedule! I see that you got yours too," Scott's enthusiastic voice sounds from over my shoulder. He holds out his own schedule and compares his to mine, looking disappointed as he says, "We only have three classes together. I guess that's because I'm not training to become a scarer like you. Anyway, want to go find our rooms? My cousin said that they're on the third and fourth floor, so it looks like we'll be taking the stairs."

I nod and trail after Scott, finding myself strangely sad that I'm only in two of Scott's classes. I don't particularly like the jelly-like monster more than just a casual acquaintance, but it's still nice to walk into an unfamiliar classroom and know at least one monster there.

As the two of us find the long twisting staircase that winds up several floors, Scott feels the need for talk as usual and asks, "What were you and Mike Wazowski taking about? It sounded like the two of you were getting into a heated argument."

"Eh, it wasn't an argument so much as it was an annoying conversation," I tell Scott, lip curling in distaste as the picture of an irritating green monster pops into the front of my head. "He was making fun of my glasses. Are they really that bad? I know that they're a little old..."

"Er, they're not too bad, I guess," Scott tells me slowly, his voice indicating otherwise. I give him a hard look, which in turn causes him to throw up his hands in defeat, admitting, "Okay, okay, they are that bad. It's not the color so much as the style. You just don't see monsters wearing thick-rimmed circular glasses these days. You shouldn't worry about it too much though. It's not a big deal."

I shrug my shoulders, already feeling a little self-conscious and out of place all due to - you guessed it - Wazowski! I hadn't been worrying about my glasses too much until he had decided to insult them and say that they look like they are from three decades ago.

Another short silence falls between us as we wind up the very tall staircase to our rooms. Monsters push and shove each other, some of them traveling up the staircase and some of them traveling down it. I keep an eye open for monsters I recognize. I catch sight of that peculiar fuzzy dome-shaped monster I noticed earlier on the bus along with Celia Mae and a slimy blue monster who's name I don't know. Part of me wants to see Sullivan again, but the shaggy turquoise monster is nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for someone?" Scott's voice cuts into my thoughts.

"Huh?" I jerk my head to the left to find Scott giving me a quizzical look. I shake my head and reply, "Nah, I was just looking for monsters I recognize."

"Oh," Scott says, sounding bored. He puts his head down and turns his eyes back onto his class schedule. Well, he turns two eyes towards his class schedule and keeps three eyes posted ahead of himself so he doesn't accidentally run into anyone. After flipping his schedule over, Scott exclaims excitedly, "Oh, look! Here's a map!"

Eager to see the map, I forget that I don't have the gift of having five eyes like Scott and instantly turn my eyes down toward the paper in Scott's hands. My eyes bulge and almost pop out of my head at the teeny tiny marks and names of the buildings, floors, and rooms on the school grounds. Just looking at it makes my head start to swirl. Before I have time to look back up again, I feel someone jam into my side. The impact sends me flying over to the left side of the staircase. I smack into it hard, practically getting the wind knocked out of me.

Scott keeps walking for a moment or two before he notices that he's lost me. The always helpful monster retraces his steps to me and holds out a hand to me, asking, "Are you okay?"

I nod briefly, still trying to catch my breath as I let Scott take my hand and start dragging me up the never ending staircase once again. I am going to have to be more careful around here. As I'm being dragged around, I think of something that I wanted to ask Scott earlier and ask, "Know anything about one-eyed Doom?"

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_Review please! :)_


	6. Chapter V

**Ilacerta: Thank you very much for your kind words! I'm glad that you like the way I'm writing Randall. There will be lots more of this story to come! I take it that you're a big Randall fan?  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Uh...yes. :P Those won't come until a lot later though and I promise to give warnings. Do you mind that sort of thing? Just curious. :)  
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**Energy witch: I was pretty shocked when I saw Randy with the glasses for the first time too! In fact, I thought that it was a photo manipulation the first time I saw him with them. He does look cuter/more innocent with the glasses though, I agree. The squinting makes him look like more of an antagonist for some reason, you know? Thanks so much for reading! :)  
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**Chapter V  
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Scott hesitates, a less than pleasant expression crossing his face as he thinks about my question. I already know just from Scott's hesitation that one-eyed Doom is trouble. As the two of us finally step off of the staircase and onto a busy floor with monsters swarming all up and down the hallway, Scott finally admits, "Well, I don't really know much about one-eyed Doom, but I do know who he is. Remember that black monster with the spikes and the creepy red eye that we saw on the bus? You know, the one Don told us to stay away from? That's one-eyed Doom."

I purse my lips, thinking that it's just my luck that I happen to get a roommate like Doom. Why can't I have a nice, normal (well, as far as normal goes in the monster world) roommate like Don or Scott? Even someone like Sullivan would beat having to room with someone like Dpp,. There is just something very unnerving and eerie about the red-eyed monster. I've always been one to avoid trouble whenever possible, but it looks as if I might not be able to avoid trouble. It seems that in this case, trouble has found _me_.

Scott interprets my silence correctly as apprehension and tries to reassure me, saying, "It won't be all that bad. It's not like you have to hang out with him or anything. You'll go to different classes, do different things, and hang out with different monsters."

"Yeah, I only just have to live with him," I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes at Scott's attempt at optimism. "Shouldn't be a problem at all."

"Sorry," Scott apologies, noticing how weak his attempt to make me feel better sounded. He comes to a halt at the end of the hallway where it branches off to the right and to the left. Glancing down at his map, Scott traces a jelly-like finger along one part of it before saying, "It looks like we're going to have to split here. Your room is to the right and mine is to the left. Good luck with Doom! Do you think that I'll see you at dinner? The cafeteria is on the main floor. I'm thinking about heading down there to get something to eat as soon as I'm settled in. I'm starving!"

"Yeah, I guess that I might see you there later," I admit, noticing that my stomach does feel a little empty. "See ya."

With that said, Scott and I part, both of us venturing to different sides of the immense building. Since I have no idea where I'm going, I balance my tall pile of school supplies in one arm and use my other hand to flatten out my school schedule/map. Even with my glasses on, I have to squint to read the teeny tiny letters on the map. After a few minutes, I give up on it altogether and decide to use the numbers painted above the doorways on either side of the hall as markers to figure out where I am. The room next to me is room four hundred and it appears as it the numbers on the doors are getting larger as you continue down the hallway. Now what was my room number again?

I trek down the hallway with my head down as I search for my room key only to find that it's been taped onto the back of my school schedule. No wonder I couldn't find it. Just as I'm getting a good look at the room key and am noticing that my room number is five hundred and five, something - or someone for that matter - slams into me.

I know what's going to happen even before it actually does happen. The delicate balance of my school supplies is thrown off balance, causing my books, papers, notepads, pencils, and erases to fly all over the place. This time, I do mutter a curse word under my breath, knowing that it's going to be just about impossible to recover all of my things in the thick crowd of monsters constantly swarming up and down the hallway. Luckily, I managed to keep a tight grip on my schedule, which is probably the most important item I own at the moment.

Although I manage to save myself from falling, my adversary is not so lucky. However, I'm too annoyed to show whoever it is any mercy and snap, "Can't you watch where you're going?"

"S-sorry. I d-didn't mean to run into you. I guess that I wasn't watching where I was g-going," a barely audible, embarrassed stammer sounds from somewhere by my feet.

Glancing down, my anger dissolves for the most part as I notice an oval-shaped red monster with stick-like arms and legs cowering on the floor in front of me. The monster has three eyes, all of which mirror fear. Judging from his stammer and the look on his face, this poor little guy is actually afraid of me.

"It's okay, kid," I relent since the red monster really does look like he's sorry and no real damage has been done yet. I skim the floor for my scattered belongings and add, "Just try to watch where you're going next time and lend me a hand picking all of this stuff up, won't you?"

"Y-yes! Right away!" the red monster replies, leaping to his feet and immediately scrambling all over the place to help me pick up my school supplies.

Working together, the two of us manage to collect all of the lost items within three minutes. I carefully stack and balance them in a neat pile in my arms for the third time today before looking down and noticing that the red monster is still looking up at me expectantly as if he expects me to give him something else to do. There's nothing else that I want from him, but I figure that it wouldn't hurt to know another name around here, so I ask, "What's your name?"

"Fungus," the monster says, red cheeks turning a darker shade of red, which indicates to me that he's blushing. I can't exactly blame him for that. What kind of parent names a kid Fungus?

Thinking in the back of my mind that this kid had better not meet Wazowski if he doesn't want to be ridiculed for the rest of his life, I nod once in Fungus' direction and say, "I'm Randy, Randy Boggs. I'm looking for my room, but maybe I'll catch you later, huh?"

"M-maybe," Fungus continues stammering. I'm starting to think that he has a natural stutter in his voice because I'm actually being really nice to the little guy considering the fact that he barreled into me and made me drop all of my school supplies. My suspicion is confirmed when Fungus actually smiles, asking, "Would you like some h-help finding your r-room?"

"Nah, I'm sure that you've got better things to do than trail me around," I say, not really wanting to get involved with any more overly helpful monsters. There's nothing wrong with a friendly chat with one or two of them once in a while, but I appreciate solitude and silence. Lack of those two things is a sure way to make me cranky.

Waving to Fungus, I start back down the hall again. The little red monster waves back vigorously at me, that big smile still lighting up his face. Fungus isn't exactly someone who stands out in a crowd. With his constant stutter, not exactly attractive looks, and clumsiness, it wouldn't really surprise me if I'm the first monster who's talked to him all day. I make a mental note to be nice to Fungus whenever I see him. Well, unless he bangs into me and knocks my school supplies over again...

My thoughts come to a sudden stop as I find myself looking up at doorway five hundred and five. Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders, slip my room key into the lock, and open the door. The dorm in itself is actually pretty decent as far as dorms go. The walls have been painted a vivid blue color and the floor consists of polished wood. There are two identical twin-sized beds covered with cream-colored blankets on opposite sides of the room as well as two nightstands and two cabinets made from the same wood as the floor in the other corners of the room. Everything is clean and shiny. The only downfalls to the room have to do with the fact that it doesn't have any windows and also the fact that one-eyed Doom is already hovering in his side of the room.

I've never seen a monster hover before. Even though Doom's bright red eye is not focused directly on me, I know that he's looking at me. I swallow the lump that has suddenly formed in my throat and step over to my side of the room without a word to Doom. If he isn't going to talk to me, then I don't see any need to talk to him either.

Resolutely ignoring Doom, I dump my school supplies down into my corner of the room before studying my school schedule in more detail. I set out the books I need for my classes tomorrow and place them in a pile on my nightstand. Only then do I notice that there is a laptop sitting on my nightstand, completely free for me to use. There are definitely some ups to living in a dorm, that's for sure even if you do have to room with Doom. Speaking of Doom, he is still hovering across the room from me with his eye on the wall, but I can't help but get shivers down my spine and wonder if he has some way of watching me. I just can't seem to shake off the feeling that I'm being watched.

Part of me wants to explore the laptop and another part of me wants to get out of here just to get away from one-eyed Doom's oppressive presence. I know, I know, it's stupid to worry about a monster who isn't even looking at me. There's just something that I don't like about Doom though. I get bad vibes from him.

After a few seconds of debate, this side of me wins over the side of me that wants to explore the computer. I can always check out the laptop later when Doom is hopefully gone. I slink across the room and carefully make sure not to stare at Doom while I cross the room and open the door to it with a loud creak. Despite my attempts to remain unnoticed, the loud creak of the door causes Doom to turn that uncanny red eye of his onto me. A chill races through my body and I suddenly can't get out of the room fast enough. I let the door slam shut behind me and then realize that I've left my map on my bed. Great. I can't go back in there without looking like an idiot, but I have no idea where to go in this confusing labyrinth swarming with sweaty monster bodies all pressed together.

Wait. I do know where one place is. Scott told me earlier that the cafeteria is located on the main floor of the university. I could go there and find something to eat maybe. Finding the main floor shouldn't be difficult. All I have to do is take the staircase down to the lowest floor of the building and try not to get squished in the process. Easy, right?

I manage to find the staircase without too much trouble and make sure to pay attention to where I'm going this time as I step quickly down the stairs with a destination in mind. I'm busy thinking about how they really ought to install elevators in this place when a familiar walrus-resembling monster waves and calls out, "Hey there, Randy!"

Glancing to my right, I notice Don Carlton smiling and waving at me. I return his wave and continue on my way down the stairs. Just like there are a variety in the appearances of monsters here at the university, there are also a variety in the personalities of the monsters taking classes here. Some, like Don and Scott, are friendly and helpful, some are vain and self-centered like Celia and Wazowski, some are eager to please like Fungus, and then there are some who have a spooky air to them like one-eyed Doom. Am I forgetting anyone? Don't think so.

It seems to take a lot less time to reach the bottom of the staircase than it took to reach the top of it earlier. Now that I've reached the main floor of the gigantic building, all I have to do is find the cafeteria. This is easier said than done. In a place where I don't have a map and in which all of the hallways look identical, it's more than easy to get lost. Luckily, a group of students all seem to be moving in one direction. Deciding to gamble that they're going to he cafeteria, I allow myself to be swept up into the crowd and follow this group of monsters along.

After weaving through several more hallways that all continue to look the same to me, I find myself in front of a set of doors that are propped open, allowing me a good view of the cafeteria. I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding and follow the crowd into the cafeteria, glad to have reached my destination at last.

A quick scan of my surroundings tell me everything that I want to know about the cafeteria. It is a large, circular room with white ceilings, white walls, and white floors. Countless numbers of tables have been placed on the floor, several of which are occupied by monsters either chowing down on their food or talking away with their friends. On the right side of the room is a very long counter where the food, plates, and silverware are located. It looks like you just take a tray, put whatever foods you want onto your tray, and then dump your tray into the large bin labeled "dirty trays" when you're done eating.

I get in the long line behind the counter and find myself waiting for the third time today. Seems like I do an awful lot of waiting in this place. I fold my arms and drum my fingers against my arm until I get the sudden feeling that someone is watching me. Jerking my head up, I detect familiar blue eyes locked onto me from all the way across the room. Hm, I wonder who that could be?

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_Review please! :)_


	7. Chapter VI

**I-Like-Sulley: Yay, I'm glad to hear that you're alright with them! *high fives you* And wow, you didn't like SulleyxRandall before reading this? I'm so happy that I've turned you into a fan! Sorry for not updating last night. I usually update at night, but I was kind of sick yesterday. Anyway, I hope you keep reading! Thanks a ton for reviewing! :)  
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**Energy witch: That's true...when is Randall going to meet the shy/quiet monsters? I guess you could put Fungus in that group, right? And ooo, yes, he'll meet that certain someone soon. xD Thank you for reading this! :D  
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**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: Omg, hiiiiiiiii! :D Remember x-The Devil's Advocate-x? Well, this is me under a new account. :P I got back from the clinic last week actually. It's funny because they didn't help me out there at all. I ended up losing weight instead of gaining it there because I got the stomach flu, so my parents said "screw this" and now I'm back at home. xD I had to get a new account because one of my reviewers ended up causing me a lot of problems, I told my parents about it, and they told me to get a new account. So here I am starting over from scratch with no followers or anything. =/ But anyway...how have you been? I've really missed you! *hugs* I didn't know that you were a Randall fan. xD I worked on this story all during my clinic stay and it's about 190 chapters now, hehe. You know me, I love long stories. I hope your summer is going well and I am really, really happy to talk to you again! :D**

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**Chapter VI  
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I don't know why Sullivan is looking at me. In fact, I don't know if he even is looking at me. In a room this large, it's more than likely that he's looking at something behind me or in front of me. Still, I hesitate before looking from the shaggy blue monster sitting at the opposite end of the room to the line in front of me. It seems to be moving slower than a snail. At this rate, it's gonna be dark when I get my supper. Letting out a soft sigh, I think about my mother and can't help but wonder how she's doing. My mother is...different than most mothers. Other than the fact that she had me when she was thirteen, my mother tends to act a little strange when I'm gone for long periods of time. She starts forgetting things like the fact that she has to go to the grocery store to buy food or the fact that the bills have to be paid by the end of the month. To prevent this from happening, I promised to call my mother once a week just to "check in" on her.

Movement from the entrance of the cafeteria catches my eye. I peer out from behind my thick-rimmed glasses at a group of four monsters that have just entered the room. The monster that immediately attracts me to the group is one-eyed Doom. His crimson eye is more than a little noticeable even amongst the wide variety of monsters clustered together in the cafeteria. Doom is not alone though. With him are three other monsters, all who have a hard look about them. This must be the group of monsters that Don Carlton warned me to stay away from.

The monster to the left of Doom is large and the shade of an overripe prune. Although he is not muscular, he looms over everyone standing within a few feet of him. The monster's eyebrows are black and bushy and he has large fangs poking out of his mouth for teeth. Next to this monster is a monster the color of putrid green. He has three eyeballs attached to the top of his head and a mouth that never exactly shuts. It always hangs open slightly, revealing razor sharp teeth of a rotting yellowish color. The third monster looks a lot like a blob. Rotund in shape, this dark fuchsia colored monster has one shifty eye at the center of his body along with stick-like arms and legs. The thing about this monster that makes him look tough is the expression on his face. Looking this monster in the eye is a challenge. Despite his short stature, he dominates authority amongst the monsters scurrying around the cafeteria. I watch the group of monsters start towards the cafeteria line and am very glad that there are a good twenty monsters or so between me and the end of the line.

...Except Doom and his group of miscreants don't go to the end of the line. Instead, they push and shove their way to the very front of the line before giving the petite monster at the front of the line glowering looks before cutting in front of her. Great. So apparently my roommate is a cheater and the leader of what looks like a gang of monsters that are up to no good.

I adjust my glasses, thinking that if I was further up in the line, I would give the group of monsters the what for. Doom and his friends dump globs of food that resembles mold onto their trays and then make their way to a table doused in shadows at the very edge of the room. I shouldn't still be annoyed with their unfair play, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't still bugging me.

Trying to get myself to think of something else, I turn my eyes away from the murky corner of the room and find that Sullivan is still looking in my direction. I get the feeling that he's watching me even though I know that I'm just being stupid. After all, in a room full of hundreds of monsters, it's not likely that Sullivan would choose to stare at me. It's not like he even knows me. Hell, we just met an hour ago!

Still, I can't seem to fend off the feeling that he is watching me. This should bother me, but it doesn't. Deciding not to do anything about what is probably just a figment of my imagination, I jut my chin forward and sigh impatiently, tapping my foot on the floor as I wait for the final two monsters in the line in front of me to get their supper. As soon as they've finished, I grab a tray and peer at the different food choices. Everything has an exotic look to it. Mother always used to buy pre-made food that was easy to microwave. All of this stuff looks like it's been prepared by a chef.

I stare warily at a thick, creamy dish of thick tan stuff. It looks like the safest thing to eat amongst all of the other brightly colored foreign foods. The only problem is that none of the food is labeled. Ugh, I could end up eating piss and not even know it. I stare reluctantly at the strange tan dish for another long minute until I hear an extra loud cough from the next monster in the food line.

Taking a deep breath, I ladle a small portion of the unknown food onto my plate, realizing that I'm screwed no matter what I do. After all, if I don't eat, I'll wake up starving in the middle of the night. The only choices for food are right here on this counter and the tan stuff definitely looks the safest out of the other strange foods, most of which are reeking with acrid odors.

Deciding to get away from the food counter before the rancid smell ruins my appetite, I hurry across the floor and look for an empty table to sit at. I find one about fifty meters or so away from Sullivan. No, I did not choose this table on purpose to keep an eye on him and figure out whether or not he really is watching me. I just happened to snag this table because it was empty. Oh, alright, so maybe my table choice _did_ have something to do with Sullivan, but I have a right to want to watch the turquoise beast. If I'm any judge of character at all, I'd say that Sullivan is interested in me, and you know what? I'm interested in him too. As much as I don't want to admit it, he looks like a decent scarer, one who will probably best me in most of my classes if I don't study hard enough.

Now seated at an empty table, I grab my spoon between webbed fingertips and us it to swirl the thick goo on my tray around in circles. I should just take a bite of it already, but something inside my head calls out a warning to me, telling me not to try the unknown food. Someone could be trying to poison me! It's unlikely, but still. Why can't this place have any normal looking foods?!

Trying to look for something - anything! - to distract myself from the glob of goop on my tray, I glance around the room and notice two familiar figures sitting together at a table in the center of the room. It's Don and Scott who are both chowing down on one of the more eccentric looking dishes and talking and laughing with each other. I wrinkle my nose at them and start to turn back to my own tray when I catch Sullivan's eye again. Okay, so he really is looking at me. I've caught him looking at me three times now and I'm pretty sure that it's not a coincidence anymore.

Ignoring the butterflies that are suddenly flying around in my stomach at the prospect of being watched, I slowly turn my gaze toward Sullivan's table and pretend to look at something just past his left ear even though I'm actually looking at Sullivan himself. He's sitting all alone and so am I. If I wasn't so anti-social, I might have stood up and gone over to him. You know, to ask him what his problem is and why he keeps watching me. I am a loner though, so if Sullivan wants to talk, he's going to be the one to initiate it.

Since watching the ginormous monster is a pretty good distraction from the slop on my plate, I surreptitiously take a closer look at Sullivan. His fur is long and gleams under certain lighting. Bet it would be soft to touch, not like I'm planning on getting close enough to touch him or anything. The color of his eyes are sparkling cerulean pools that hold nothing but simple curiosity inside them. Despite being the largest monster here, Sullivan doesn't look like the type to bully others. He actually looks on the friendly side.

As if realizing that I'm the one now staring at him, Sullivan turns his head a fraction to the left so I'm looking into his face instead of at the vacant space next to his left ear. Sullivan knows that I'm staring at him and offers me a smile. It's an amiable smile even though he has sharp, glistening teeth that could easily win him that top scarer record I'm after. Embarrassed to have gotten caught watching him, I drop my gaze and find myself staring at the goo on my plate again. Is it just me or is it turning gray? I might as well get this over with and just eat the stuff.

Bracing myself for the worst tasting food I've ever eaten in my life, I squeeze my eyes shut, dig my spoon into the gray goop, and put a small dollop of it into my mouth. I allow the food to sit on my tongue for a moment so I can detect the flavor of it before swallowing. Surprisingly enough, I find that the stuff doesn't taste half bad. Sure, it's got a strong tang to it, but it's not a bad tang.

After swallowing, I open my eyes and eat the rest of my food with a bit more vigor. Now I'm wishing that I had gotten myself a little more to eat considering how hungry I am. I'm still digging into my foot and trying to watch Sullivan out of the corner of my eye at the same time when I notice a decisive look enter the blue monster's eyes. He starts to stand up, and for a moment, I think that he's actually going to cross the room and sit with me. I wouldn't really mind that. I'm not about to invite other monsters to come and sit with me, but if they do so on their own, I'm not going to push them away.

Of course, before Sullivan can actually take a step away from his current table, Celia Mae and a group of girls surround the table and settle themselves down around it. Celia herself sits in a chair close to Sullivan and starts talking rapidly to him. The turquoise monster hesitates and then sits back down. So much for him wanting to talk to me.

For some reason, I find that this puts me in a surly mood. I'm not all that hungry anymore and find myself tracing random patterns in my dinner with the edge of my spoon. I get so carried away in my random doodling that I almost have a heart attack when someone speaks only inches away from my ear.

"H-hi, Randy. Can I s-sit here with you?" the voice asks timidly.

Shocked out of my intent drawing, I jolt upright, clutching at my chest and breathing hard as I find myself face-to-face with Fungus. I must look mad because the smaller red monster looks nervous and takes an automatic step backward. Still trying to calm my facing heart, I mutter, "My god, Funk, you scared me. I thought that I was supposed to be the one doing the scaring, not you!"

"S-sorry," Fungus stammers an apology, fiddling with his hands in what looks like a nervous habit of his. "I'll just g-go...somewhere..."

Before the dejected monster can wander away, I jerk a hand out and grab his skinny little arm to bring him to a halt. Fungus looks back over his shoulder at me hopefully. I give him a gentle tug back toward the table and say, "I never said that you had to leave, did I?"

"N-no, but I thought-" Fungus starts out before I interrupt him.

"Well, you thought wrong. Here, sit down. I'm dying of boredom over here by myself anyway. Look at me, I've even resorted to trying to draw pictures with my dinner!" I snort at my own stupidity.

Fungus' entire face lights up with a smile and he eagerly tugs out a chair next to me, practically tripping over it in his haste to sit down. He plops down by my side and sets his tray of food on the table. My face contorts when I see some sort of clear-greenish slime in a bowl on Fungus' tray. I don't know what that stuff is, but I'm wondering if it's even edible when Fungus pushes his food tray toward me and offers, "Would you l-like some? I got e-extra."

"Uh, nah, I'm good," I say, unable to help recoiling from the disgusting slime, still having a hard time believing that Fungus is actually going to eat that goop! After a moment's thought, I realize that I've acted pretty rude to Fungus today and add as an afterthought, "Thanks though."

"N-no problem," Fungus stutters although he looks pleased. To my incredulity, he actually takes a spoonful of the slime and brings it toward his mouth. I wait for him to pop it into his mouth and then spit it back out, but the spoon hovers in midair as Fungus asks politely, "D-did you find your new room earlier?"

"Huh?" I ask, having to think a little harder than usual to understand Fungus' constant stammering. "Oh yeah, I found my room alright. Turns out that I'm rooming with one-eyed Doom. Nice, eh?"

"Er, yes, I s-suppose so," Fungus replies a little dubiously, not understanding my sarcasm.

For some reason, Fungus' oblivion is the funniest thing I've witnessed all day. I can't help but chuckle, murmuring, "It's called sarcasm. Don't tell me that you haven't heard of it before."

"N-no, I've h-heard of sarcasm," Fungus quickly replies with a nod.

"Good or else you won't understand half the things I say," I remark wryly, observing the red monster out of the corner of my eye. He's slow and a little on the dimwitted side, but I'm liking Fungus more and more by the minute. In fact, it wouldn't be half bad if he was in some of my same classes tomorrow. Leaning toward him, I ask, "Say, you don't happen to remember any of your classes for tomorrow, do you?"

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_Review please! :)_


	8. Chapter VII

**I-Like-Sulley: Wow, you really like this story that much? Thank you! :D Honestly, I thought that hardly anyone was reading it, lol. I like the SulleyxRandy pairing because the two are such opposites. What do you like about them? I think that Sulley balances out Randall personality-wise. Omg, Randy is British? I did not know that!  
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**Ilacerta: Thank you! :) I actually really like Fungus; I guess his shyness reminds me of myself. Do you have any favorite Monsters Inc./Monsters University characters? I'm honestly surprised that you're okay with reading this even though you don't ship these two. Thanks a ton for that! Just out of curiosity, do you ship Randall with someone else?**

**Energy witch: Me neither! Cafeteria food/food in general is the worst. *shudders* Fungus seems like a friendly little guy, doesn't he? Maybe he has a little crush on Randall. You're right about the guys memorizing the school pretty soon. I guess that comes with time. And omg, I should so have Sulley tickle Randall later in the story, that would be super cute. xD Thanks for reading!  
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**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: I know, right?! I practically fell off of my chair when I saw your review! Fate definitely wants us to be best author friends! *hugs you* Well, it's kind of a long story, but a friend of mine was telling me to move in with her after I turned 18. It was okay at first until she got this random 22-year-old guy who I'd personally had trouble with involved. I was going to send her money to come and get me, but my mom found the letter and said that the two were probably, well, you know where I'm going with this. The guy wanted me to take up modeling...I can't help but think that they weren't who they said that they were. Anyway, that's over with, but now I'm really stuck. I want to move out so bad, but I have no place to go and my mom stole all the money I was saving for an apartment, so life is just sort of crappy right now. It also sucks that they didn't actually help me at the clinic and got me sick with the stomach flu. I mean, my god, don't make things worse, stupid clinic people! But anyway, are you having a nice summer so far? Are you glad to be done with school? I'm glad that you like my writing style so much! Bryce is kind of like Randall, isn't he? Sadly, no, I had to remove Amber Eyes and everything from my old account. *sighs* I'm actually writing two other Monsters University stories, but I'm thinking about holding off on posting them until the new movie comes out. I'm a weirdo who writes about new characters just from watching the trailers, lol. So are you a SulleyxRandall shipper too or are you just giving them a try? :P They're like my OTP when it comes to Monsters Inc. stories. Thanks again for reading this and sorry for the super long response there. xP  
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**Chapter VII  
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Fungus looks thoughtful, his three eyes narrowing in concentration as he tries to think about the list of classes he has on his schedule for tomorrow. I wait patiently enough for the smaller red monster to reply, still absentmindedly drawing doodles in the remainder of my gray mush as I wait for Fungus to reply. Before answering me, Fungus lifts his spoon of toxic-looking slime and actually places it in his mouth. I immediately freeze, waiting for him to fall over dead from getting poisoned. Figures that something like that would happen now that I'm starting to get fond of the little guy. However, much to my surprise, Fungus does not fall over. He chews - yeah, apparently you actually chew slime - and then swallows it before finally answering me.

"I d-don't remember all of my c-classes," Fungus admits. "I'm pretty sure that I have arithmetic, art, science, gym, music, and history though."

"Guess you're not training to be a scarer then, huh?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at Fungus before feeling a lightning bolt of jealousy strike through me as I add, "Hey, I want music as one of my classes too. Sounds like a lot more fun than some of the other classes here. Math and science are gonna be really boring from the looks of things."

"They might not be all that b-bad," Fungus stammers, apparently one of those constant optimists regardless of the situation. It just so happens that I'm a diehard pessimist. It looks like Fungus and I are going to be friends with opposite personalities. Oh well, you know what they say. Opposites attract, I guess. Still eating that disgusting looking slime that makes my stomach flip over, Fungus puts a delicate spoonful into his mouth and goes on, "I'm training to be a scarer's assistant."

"That explains your classes then," I reply, having known from the beginning that Fungus is not exactly scarer material. It's common knowledge that all scarers have to have an assistant when they get accepted into Monsters Inc., the place where all scarers dream to find a job. My eyes trail over to the mush I'm still experimenting with on my plate. Nodding at it, I ask, "Say, Funk, what exactly is this stuff? Nothing is labeled around here. You'd think that they could at least label the food around here so I know that I'm not about to get poisoned."

Fungus looks at me very seriously and says in a grave voice, "I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone getting p-poisoned at the school before, but if you want, I can t-test all of your food before you eat it if you want. You know, just to make sure it isn't p-p-poisoned."

My lips quirk up again and I resist the temptation to chuckle. Fungus makes me laugh, not because he's an out rightly comical monster, but because of his personality. I think that I like him the most out of everyone I've met at Monsters University so far. Still smiling, I reply, "Thanks for the offer, but I don't need a food tester. You gonna tell me what this stuff is though?"

"It's hummus," Fungus informs me before pointing to his own bowl and adding, "And this is j-jello."

The slime in Fungus' bowl doesn't look like jello, but I decide not to worry about it since I'm not the one eating it. Yawning, I stretch my arms over my head and shove my tray to the center of the room. I'm no longer hungry even though I know that the stuff I was eating is only hummus, which really should be safe enough.

"C-can I ask you s-something?" Fungus asks hesitantly after a moment of silence, his three eyes glancing up nervously to assess my face.

"Yeah, sure," I reply mindlessly before realizing that Fungus is actually asking my permission to ask a question. I don't think I've ever had anyone actually ask for my permission to ask a question before. Wanting to get Fungus out of some of these overly formal habits of his, I point out, "You don't have to ask, you know. Just spit it out."

"R-right. Just s-spit it out," Fungus says, an odd look crossing his face. I wait for whatever it is that Fungus wants to ask me, but the red monster shocks me by frowning and pursing his lips together before actually spitting on the table. My god, he takes me way too seriously!

"Funk," I start out, having a hard time not to dissolve into laughter. "I didn't mean that literally! I just meant for you to tell me whatever you wanted to tell me without asking first."

"Oh. S-s-sorry," Fungus immediately stutters, his cheeks flashing an even darker shade of crimson as he realizes his error. I wave Fungus' apology away, starting to get just the slightest bit irritated with Fungus' constant apologizes. Over time, I hope that I can get him to tone down his formality around me. I'm just a fellow student of his, not the dean of the school! As I'm thinking this, Fungus finally gets his question out and says, "W-what was that you c-called me earlier?"

"Huh? Oh, you mean Funk?" I ask quizzically. Fungus nods, curious eyes on my face. Shrugging my shoulders, I admit, "I dunno. Why? You like being called Fungus?"

"Well, n-no, not really," Fungus admits, eyes dropping to the table to show me that he does not particularly like his name. Who would though? I'm still trying to figure out what kind of parent would name a kid Fungus. At least my mother was kind enough to give me a decent name. There's nothing out of the ordinary about the name Randall or even Randy for that matter.

"I'll call you Funk from now on then," I decide, my comment causing Fungus to give me a pleased smile in return.

Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, a deafening voice sounds from the loudspeaker, "Attention all students! This is Dean Hardscrabble speaking. I wish for all of you to gather in the cafeteria for some special announcements regarding your first day at Monsters University. Please make sure that you are present in the cafeteria in the next few minutes so you do not miss these important announcements. I hope to see you all very shortly."

When the Dean started talking, I clapped my webbed hands over my ears to keep myself from being deafened. Unfortunately, even now that the headmistress has stopped talking, her loud words continuing reverberating inside my skull, causing my ears to ring dully. Knowing that it's only going to get a lot more crowded in the cafeteria than it already is, I have to fight to keep myself in my chair since my impulse is to get out of here before I end up getting crushed or squished.

"I think that I need an aspirin," I complain, rubbing my forehead in a tired manner. Mother has gotten terrible migraines all her entire life. I guess that she's passed that trait down to me.

"I'm s-sorry. I don't have an aspirin with me," Fungus apologizes, looking truly sorry.

"Funk, you don't have to apologize for not being able to conjure an aspirin out of midair," I say, smiling in spite of myself as I pinch my forehead between two of my fingers, noticing that large masses of students have already started to pile into the cafeteria. "Wonder what the dean wants?"

Before Fungus has a chance to answer me, a familiar figure that I'd really rather not have run into appears next to our table still decked out in a blue and white striped Monsters University scarf despite the fact that it's the middle of the summer. Not in the mood to deal with a particular one-eyed cretin considering my headache and the fact that I have Fungus with me, I keep my mouth shut and cross my fingers that Wazowski won't notice me. Apparently, luck is not with me because Wazowski does the exact opposite of that.

As he scuttles by, looking for an empty table, the green cyclops comes to a halt and suddenly leans over to ask in a disdainful voice, "Is this the nerd table? If so, I should probably find somewhere else to sit. What is it with people and thick-rimmed glasses these days?" Pointing an accusatory finger at Fungus, Wazowski continues on, "Let me guess, you got those from your grandmother?"

"Shove off, Wazowski," I mutter, feeling a little defensive of Fungus even though I've just met him. The green eyeball's insults don't faze me too much, but Fungus seems like the type who could end up getting scarred for life from getting bullied at school. "Go pick on someone your own size."

"Like who? You?" Wazowski asks, looking very stupid as he asks that.

"Hm, well, let's see here," I reply, tapping my forehead in mock bewilderment, "Considering the fact that I'm over a foot taller than you and a good foot skinnier than you, I think that we can reach the conclusion that no, I'm not the same size as you. Really, Wazowski, I'm surprised at you. I thought you wanted to become the top scarer. You'll never even get onto the scare team if you don't complete arithmetic 101 first."

The green eyeball's eye narrows and he opens and closes his mouth wordlessly. Like before, he can't seem to come up with a good retort to my obvious logic and eventually tosses his scarf over his shoulder before stalking away, saying as he goes, "You're just jealous of my good looks."

I shake my head ruefully as the green eyeball disappears in the thick crowd. At this point, monsters are everywhere to be seen in the cafeteria. They line the walls, sit at the tables, sit on the tables, and push and shove against each other to allow room for more monsters to gather in the cafeteria. What once seemed like a gigantic room no longer seems all that big.

A loud clamor of voices has risen up with the considerable addition of students in the cafeteria, so to get my attention, Fungus puts a hand on my wrist. I glance over at him questioningly and have to revert to lip reading since Fungus' voice gets swallowed up by the crowd. Looking extremely grateful, he stammers, "T-thank you for s-standing up for me. Nobody has ever done that for m-me before."

It's hard to read someone's mouth when they stutter constantly, but I manage to get the gist of what Fungus is saying and wave away his apology, replying, "Eh, it was no problem. Wazowski's a moron. Maybe he'll tone down his attitude a little after I've become the school's top scarer at the end of the year."

I glance over at Fungus' blank expression and realize that he hasn't heard a word that I've said. With all the tumult going on in the cafeteria, it's about impossible for any of us to hear anything or anyone other than the constant garble of words from across the room. I give up on trying to speak to Fungus for the moment and instead wait for the dean's speech, which should come soon. While I wait for her to start speaking, I glance inconspicuously over to my left to see what Sullivan is doing. I'm able to pick him out of the crowd, but that's only because he's one of the tallest monsters in the entire building. Sullivan's eyes are focused on Celia and the two of them appear to be chatting good-naturedly. Sullivan says something that causes the purple-haired girl to smile and giggle.

Pursing my lips, I wonder if I imagined the whole thing from earlier. It's more likely than not that Sullivan never was staring at me. I probably just made the whole thing up in my head. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened. Sighing, I look away from Sullivan and immediately straighten up when I notice a tall reptilian figure the color of burgundy standing on a platform at the edge of the room. This monster looks like she happens to be in her early to mid thirties. She looks down upon the rest of us with heavily lashed eyes. As she straightens her burgundy sweater, I realize that this must be Dean Hardscrabble. Noticing that she has large, bat-like wings tucked behind her back, I note that she resembles a dragon.

"Good evening, students," the Dean says into a microphone, causing the cacophony in the cafeteria to die down and then cease altogether. "I am Dean Hardscrabble, headmistress here at Monsters University. I hope that you have all managed to find your dormitories and your class schedules and are prepared for your first day at school tomorrow."

A loud murmur of mutual agreement thrums through the throng of students surrounding the dean's platform, indicating that most of us have found our rooms and our schedules.

"Very good," Dean Hardscrabble says, her voice high-pitched and elderly sounding even though I still don't think she looks older than thirty-five. "Now I have a few announcements to make. First of all, let's start with the rules. You may come and go from the university as you please from eight am to eight pm. After that, the gates close. Violence of any sort will not be tolerated here and you will be sent packing if you violate this rule. Thirdly, all students must be in their beds by ten pm. Are we clear on this?"

Another mumble of less enthusiastic agreement rises up from the crowd of monsters surrounding the dean. Even though a lot of them are looking glum, I don't mind the dean's rules. I have no reason to be out of my room after ten pm, and really, why would I want to leave the school at night anyway?

Dean Hardscrabble lets the murmur die down and says, "And now I want to talk about the special scare program. As you all know, you will have to try out to be part of this program..."

The headmistress keeps talking, but my ears are deaf to her words. We have to try out to become part of the scare program? My heart skips a beat and my knuckles turn white. Even getting the opportunity to become a scarer might be a hell of a lot more difficult than I thought that it was going to be.

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_Review please! :)_


	9. Chapter VIII

**I-Like-Sulley: I love Randall's and Sulley's contrasting characters too; it makes for a dramatic relationship between the two of them, you know? :) Omg, I just saw the trailer! Is it just me or does Randy sound like he has an Australian accent? Hm...for your story, I would recommend planning it out first. I wrote my plot all out before I started this story so I knew where I was going with it. Then I started writing it and tried to add lots of little, interesting details to it. Good luck with your story and thank you for the compliments! :D  
**

**xBearingSecretsx: Wow, this is the best MI story that you've ever read? That's the nicest thing that I've heard all day! Thank you very much. :) So Sulley and Randall are your favorite characters then? I love them because they're so different, which makes them fun to ship. xD I know what you mean about Celia; I dislike girls like that too. *shudders* I hope you like this update and keep reading! :D**

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**Chapter VIII  
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I know that scarers and non-scarers have different class schedules, but up to this point, I had no idea that there was a special scare program that only certain monsters will be able to attend. My seventy-four razor sharp teeth grit together in concentration. Whatever it takes to get into the scare program, well, I'll do it! Jutting my chin forward, I pay extra careful attention to Dean Hardscrabble's next words so I know exactly how to get into this special scare program, which I assume is designed for only the school's top scarers.

"Those of you who want to try out to be scarers and want in on this special opportunity are to meet in the gym tomorrow morning. That is where I will be testing you and your capabilities to see whether or not I will admit you into the top scare program. Unlike the other classes, this unique one is more like a club than a class. It will be held after school and will be taught by me," Dean Hardscrabble tells us in loud, clear tones. She goes on in a very grave voice, "Although it is still possible to become a scarer even without becoming part of this scare program, your chances of becoming a graduating scarer are very slim indeed. Therefore, I want to implore to all of you that tomorrow's tryouts are very important. Does anyone have any questions on this matter?"

Silence falls throughout the cafeteria. Nobody speaks. A sense of eerie concentration has laid a thick cloud over the room. It's as if everyone's mind is on the scare program tryouts tomorrow. That's where my mind is anyway. I have no idea what I'm going to be tested on, but I'm going to do a perfect job of it whatever it is. I can't afford not to get into this scare program.

"Very good. It appears as if I have a group of very attentive students this year," Dean Hardscrabble says in approval. "Now let's cover a few other small details. The 'Great Scare Games' are going to be held at the end of the year against the school's sororities and fraternities. Your goal is to work together as a group to earn the titles as the scariest monsters in the games. The title is very important and is not to be looked down upon. Every single monster in the sorority or fraternity that wins the games will graduate and likely move on to work at Monsters Inc., where all the top scarers are admitted."

At these words, a murmur of excitement sounds from around the room. Apparently, even if you fail the tryouts, you can still become a scarer by attending the scaring classes open to everyone along with winning these "Great Scare Games". I'm not exactly sure what they are yet, but I have enough to concentrate on without worrying about them right now. They're not until the end of the year anyway.

"May I have your attention please?" Dean Hardscrabble's dominating voice cuts like a knife through all of the muttered chatter. The cafeteria immediately falls silent as all eyes turn back to the reptilian headmistress. Once she has everyone's complete attention once again, Dean Hardscrabble says, "I hope that you find everything here to your liking. The gym is open after school hours for you to work out in, the cafeteria is open from eight am to eight pm, and the library is also open during school hours. If you get lost, there are large maps posted on the walls of each floor. Locate one of the maps, find out where you are, and proceed from there. You will all be allowed one phone call that lasts five minutes every Friday. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of energy, so the time of these calls is limited to the five minutes. Your call will automatically end after the given time range. If you need to see me for whatever reason, my office is located on the main floor at the end of the hallway. You may pay me a visit from six pm to eight pm. I believe that this ends all announcements for this week. Again, if you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to contact one of your professors or me via email or other means. You will notice that each of you has been given a laptop. It should be located on the nightstand of your bedroom. These laptops are intended for you to use for your studies. If your laptop breaks, it will not be replaced, so do take caution and use it carefully. Thank you all for deciding to attend Monsters University. Do enjoy your stay here and be certain to follow the rules."

With that said, Dean Hardscrabble steps down from the platform she has been standing on at the far edge of the room and steps gracefully across the floor of the cafeteria. Monsters push and shove each other in an attempt to form a clear aisle for the headmistress to walk down. As soon as the Dean has disappeared from view, utter chaos breaks out in the cafeteria once again. Everyone starts talking in enthusiastic and frantic voices. I clench my hands into fists as my headache returns to the forefront of my head like a lightning bolt striking its target.

I am so caught up with the pounding in my head that it takes me a long minute before I realize that someone is urgently talking to me and that three concerned eyes are locked onto my face. Still rubbing my forehead painfully, I look up to see Fungus wringing his hands together nervously as he asks, "Are you okay, Randy? You sort of went into a t-trance there."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a stupid headache, that's all. Still wish that I had an aspirin though," I admit with a wry smile, not going to try and fight my way out of this tight cluster of monsters until the cafeteria has cleared somewhat. It's not in my plans for the future to get squished to death before becoming a scarer. Realizing that I have time to burn, I look at Fungus out of the corners of my eyes and ask, "What do you reckon we're gonna have to do for the scaring program tryouts tomorrow?"

"W-we?" Fungus stammers, red face turning a sickly shade of pale pink as the blood drains from his face. "I'm n-not going to be a scarer!"

"I know, I know. No need to get so upset over it!" I say quickly before Fungus can faint. My god, he takes everything so seriously. I reach other and grab his shoulder, shaking him lightly in an attempt to loosen his tight shoulder muscles, adding, "Relax. I meant me. What do you think that I'm gonna have to do for the tryouts tomorrow?"

Fungus jumps when I touch his shoulder, making me wonder how this little guy was raised. His parents must have been pretty colorful characters to raise him into the monster he is now. I mean, just look at the poor guy! He uses very formal, proper English, stutters and stammers with every sentence, and is afraid of his own shadow.

"Um, I d-don't know that," Fungus replies shamefully as if he thinks that it is his duty to have an answer to all of my questions. "I'm s-sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Funk. Really. It annoys me more when you're apologizing to me every two seconds for things that aren't your fault," I tell the little monster, trying to break him out of some of these bad habits of his. Fungus nods dubiously at me, but looks like he's still going to be doing a lot more apologizing in the near future. I sigh to myself and mutter under my breath, "Guess it doesn't matter as long as I pass. I'd just love to pass the tryouts and have Wazowski fail them."

Fungus surprises me by giggling. His laughter causes me to smile slightly despite the stress that is now weighing down on my shoulders due to the tryouts tomorrow. When I look up again, I realize that the cafeteria has emptied and that I won't have too difficult of a time trying to weave my way back to my room at this point.

"Alright, Funk, I'm outta here for the night," I yawn, pushing my chair back and wincing as it makes a loud, unpleasant screeching noise against the polished floor. "Think I'll go see if there are any tips on scaring in one of those books I got for my scare classes. You take it easy, alright?"

"Yes," Fungus nods, also standing up and accidentally knocking into his chair in the process.

"And don't apologize to the chair for knocking into it," I add, a sarcastic smile sliding over my lips as I retrieve my dirty tray from the table and cross the cafeteria. I discard my tray and then make my way out into the hallway. As I pick my way through the cluster of monsters still chatting, joking, and discussing Dean Hardscrabble's words in hushed voices, I notice one-eyed Doom and his gang lurking by the doorway. Their eyes seem to linger on me as I step out into the hallway. Shivering slightly, I exit the room and hurry to the staircase to get away from them. I might be paranoid and think that everyone is out to get me, but in the case of Doom and his friends, I don't think that it's just paranoia.

It doesn't take too long for me to reach my dorm. Even though this is only my second time finding it, I've already started to memorize the long, once identical-looking hallways. I'll have this place memorized in no time. Eventually, I reach the room I share with Doom and slip my room key through it. Glad to have the room to myself for a little while, I immediately seize my laptop and drag it over to my desk. After that, I search frantically through my piles of books until I find the one on scaring. Book under my arm and laptop up and running, I position myself behind the desk and prepare myself for a long night of work. I need to figure out what these scare tryouts are really about.

Wasting no time, I immediately type in "scare tryouts" on the search engine of my laptop. I wait impatiently for the page to load and then skim through my results. To my annoyance, nothing useful pops up onto the webpage. Great. My laptop is already a failure. Maybe I can convince my mother to get an email though so the two of us can email. One phone call a week should be enough to keep her sane, but I wouldn't mind being able to interact with her a little more frequently.

Not about to give up on my search for what to expect from tomorrow's scare tryouts, I turn to my book on scaring and open it up to the table of contents. Unfortunately, I don't see anything regarding scare tryouts there. Looks like I'm just gonna have to start from the very beginning if I want to learn anything about scaring. I start on page one and let my eyes skim across the small font typed across the thick white pages of the book. Although uninteresting, the book might have some helpful tips on scaring hidden in it just waiting for me to discover.

Unfortunately, the book is so boring that I end up falling asleep. The next morning, I wake with my head on my book, glasses half-on and half-off. I immediately panic and glance over at the alarm clock on my nightstand. I could have sworn that I set it yesterday, but maybe I forgot to in my hurry to study up on the scare tryouts. My clock reads 10:01 am.

Since the scare tryouts are being held all morning in the gym, I decide to ditch breakfast and go straight to the gym. I don't think that I can stomach any food right now considering the fact that my stomach is already doing somersaults inside of me anyway. After adjusting my glasses and waiting a few seconds for the world to come into focus, I stand up and start resolutely toward the door of my dormitory. Doom is nowhere to be seen, something you won't find me complaining about anytime soon.

I exit the room and start through the hallway toward the winding set of stairs. The hallways are a lot less crowded at this time of day. It appears as if everyone is already at class, in class, or at the cafeteria. It's nice not to have to feel like I'm suffocating.

I'm midway down the staircase, adrenaline pounding in my veins and my breath coming in short, ragged puffs as I concentrate on the tryouts I still know nothing about, when I realize a dilemma I've created for myself. I have absolutely no idea where the gym is. I could be walking in circles or in the opposites direction of the gym for all I know. Feeling incredibly stupid, I pause on the stairs. What was that Dean Hardscrabble said about maps yesterday? Isn't there supposed to be one on every floor?

I'm considering this, trying to figure out where the closest map to me is when a familiar voice calls out my name, "Randy! Hi there! What's up?"

I turn my distracted gaze upward to find Scott Squibbles rushing down the stairs towards me. Hoping that he can save me from my predicament, I reply, "I'm trying to find the gym for the scare tryouts, but I forgot my map. Know where the gym is?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do!" Scott says, hurrying down the stairs and motioning for me to follow him as he continues his descent down the steep staircase. "The gym is on the first floor. I checked my map before I left my room. I'm on my way to the gym right now, so I'll walk you there."

"Thanks," I reply gratefully as I follow Scott before my eyes narrow and I realize something odd, "What are you going to the gym for? I thought that you didn't want to be a scarer."

"I didn't want to be a scarer. Well, not until last night, anyway. My new friends, Terri and Terry Perri, talked me into it. They're my roommates. I thought that it would be cool if we could all become scarers together," Scott tells me enthusiastically as the two of us step off of the stairs and onto what I presume is the first floor of the university.

I make no comment on the idea of Scott becoming a scarer. Personally, I think that he's a little too soft for the job what with his jelly-like appearance, big smile, and chubby figure. Still, I don't really mind him trying out for the scare program. It isn't as if he's gonna be a threat to someone like me in the end.

"I'm sure that the gym is this way," Scott muses either to himself or to me as he narrows his five eyeballs and turns the corner. His face brightens as he points up ahead of us to a room, saying, "Oh look! There are the locker rooms! I guess that all we have to do is make our way through them and then we'll find our way to the gym. At least, that's what the map said to do."

"What are we waiting for then?" I ask, kicking the door to the locker room open and making my way inside it with Scott following behind me.

Monsters are streaming in and out of the locker rooms, some of them looking dejected and others looking like Christmas has come early this year. I'm tempted to ask one of them what the tryouts are like, but I decide that might be cheating and cheating is a sure way to get myself kicked out of the special scare program. Taking a deep breath, I arrive at the far door of the locker room before pushing it open, about to find out the real meaning behind these tryouts.

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_Review please! :)_


	10. Chapter IX

**I-Like-Sulley: You're welcome! :D I hope that helped. Have you started writing your story? Oh my god, I am that exact same way about MU Randall. He seems so strange and out of character. *shudders* That's actually why I wrote this story. I was trying to put the Randall we all know and love into the university setting. I have a feeling that I'm going to love MI way more than MU. How about you? Also, that's a really good theory. I bet that'll happen in the movie!  
**

**Mentalguru: Sorry about the cliffie! You'll figure out what's going to happen in this chapter! Thanks for continuing to read this, I figured that I had lost you on the story. :P**

**xBearingSecretsx: Thanks again! I can't even begin to tell you how nice that is to hear! Are you a fan of long stories? This one is a bit on the long side. I hope you don't mind! Of course you can ask about the trailer. :) Randy speaks in the newest one. It's about 30 seconds long. I'd link you, but I have a problem posting links on this site for some reason. Let me know if you're able to watch it though! Also...random question, but do you have a favorite part of MI? Thanks so much for reading this!  
**

**a fan: Wow, that's a really great compliment! I'm really glad that you think that I have Randall's character down. I had a hard time writing him at first, but now it's pretty natural. There are lots more chapters to come, so I really hope that you keep reading this. :) Is Randall your favorite MI character?**

**Energy witch: That's very true! Do you think that Randall will have a hard time getting his camouflaging ability under control? I agree with you about true friends. So far, Fungus seems to be his only true friend. What do you think? **

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: It's okay! Sometimes FF is a bitch when it comes to alerting us about updates and all that. I couldn't even get on the website earlier. I guess we both have a love/hate relationship with it, huh? I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter and I agree, Funk is pretty cute! :) He didn't do a lot for me in the movie, but I'm trying to expand on his character in this story a bit, you know? I think that his parents were extremely strict because he calls Randall "Sir" a lot in the movie, lol. Funk definitely sounds better than Fungus imo, I mean, who names a kid Fungus? xD Mike can be sassy and extremely random! I'm shipping him with one of the characters from the new film because they both share the randomness trait. xP Wow...it's just like fate wanted us to meet up again on here or something! *hugs you* I'm glad that you're a fellow Randall obsesser! I actually wrote a story about him a few years back, but deleted it because I thought that it was crappy. Oops, sorry, I explained that wrong. Basically, I ended up getting involved with an online predator who wanted me to meet up with him and then model for him...my mom got me out of the situation before things got too out of hand. In a way, I'm thankful about it, but I'm NOT happy that she took the money I was planning on moving out with. I'm still at home right now, but my birthday is in twelve days and I want out of here so badly, but I've got no place to go. *sighs* Aw man, that sucks about school! I bet you can't wait for it to end, right? Well...my summer's been sort of crappy so far, but at least I'm back from the clinic and I don't have the stomach flu anymore. I do have Amber Eyes saved actually! I suppose that I could post it again maybe? Why not, right? Omg, I saw that trailer, btw! Randall looks totally goofy with the glasses. xD Did you see any of the other members from his fraternity? I like the whole gang. No problem again about the not reviewing thing. I'm just so happy to be talking to a friend again! :D**

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**Chapter IX  
**

Scott and I exit the locker room to find ourselves in the gym. The gym looks pretty ordinary as far as gyms go. This particular gym has incredibly high ceilings like the rest of the rooms at Monsters University. The flooring consists of a green carpet-like material with white markings on it. I notice posters promoting working out and eating right plastered on all of the shiny wooden walls. The only thing that is not normal about the gym is the fact that a large black curtain has been drawn across it, separating the gym into two equal-sized portions. A long line of students waits for permission from one of the university teachers before crossing to the other side of the curtain where Dean Hardscrabble waits for them.

I suppose that the curtain isn't all that intimidating, but my pulse picks up and my palms grow sweaty as I join the end of the line and wait for the tryout. Scott, unlike me, seems completely unfazed as he looks around the room and remarks, "This looks like a nice gym, doesn't it? I don't like working out much, but as far as gyms go, this is a nice place."

I nod stiffly, not wanting to talk right now. I need to concentrate. Pushing my glasses up higher on my sweaty scales, I force myself to take slow, even breaths. The last thing I need to do is start hyperventilating and pass out before I even get a chance to try out for the scare program. Luckily, I'm saved from further chat with Scott because his friends, Terry and Terri Perry, enter the room and immediately start talking to him. I drone out their babble and take another step forward as the line before me grows shorter and shorter.

Suddenly, while I'm trying to focus on breathing normally, raised voices from somewhere in front of me break out. I raise myself onto my tiptoes and crane my neck to see over the shoulder of the purple monster in front of me, wanting to know what the ruckus is all about. Two very different figures are facing each other with clenched fists and slitted eyes. Surprisingly enough, I recognize both figures. The first is the circular shape of one-eyed Wazowski. Can't say I'm that too shocked to find that he's part of the fray. When is that little cretin _not_ causing chaos?

I am shocked, however, to find that I recognize Wazowski's adversary. Blue and purple spotted fur on end, Sullivan has his muscular arms folded over his chest and is giving Wazowski a death glare. I can't help but silently cheer Sullivan on in my mind. Someone really ought to take that green cyclops' arrogance down a couple of notches. Still, I have to admit that I'm surprised to find that Sullivan is gonna be the one to do it. From what I've seen of the shaggy blue monster so far, he seems laid back and relatively friendly. Unable to sate my curiosity, I lean forward slightly and try to eavesdrop on the argument. It's not any of my business, but since when has listening in ever hurt anyone that badly?

"Mike, I've already told you that there's no way you're going to end up as the school's top scarer at the end of the year if all you're going to do are those moves you showed me last night," Sullivan is saying in a relatively even voice although I manage to detect a strain in it. He's trying really hard to keep himself under control.

"I care to see things differently. Unlike you, I am physically fit and have one eye. See this?" Wazowski says, pointing to the single eye on his spherical figure. "Uno ojo. Kids get real scared of one-eyed monsters. You just look like a colorful, cuddly teddy bear."

My eyes widen at Wazowski's comment. The little cyclops certainly thinks that he's all that. Challenging Sullivan, likely one of the best scarers in this monstrous-sized building, ain't a smart thing to do. Wazowski is going to learn this somehow or the other. I only hope that I'm around to watch him learn his lesson.

"Did you just say that I look like a cuddly teddy bear?" Sullivan asks Wazowski, his normally friendly blue eyes tightening and getting a steely look to them.

"Yeah, I did. And do you know what else?" Wazowski continues on like the dumb buffoon he is, not noticing the warning look in Sullivan's eyes. "I'm going to be the best scarer ever! I'm going to wipe all of the records off of the boards and fill them with my name. I'll be Mike Wazowski, the best scarer in all of history! I can just see that written all over the walls. My name is going to be a name to remember, pal. You should be grateful that you're even allowed to share a room with someone like me."

Wazowski's voice gets louder and louder as he talks and now he has the attention of everyone standing in the gym. If the cyclops wasn't being serious, he might actually be kind of funny. His pride is getting on everyone's nerves though, and if Sullivan doesn't slap him, I certainly will.

Seeing that he's gotten everyone's attention, Sullivan rolls his eyes dramatically and says, "I'm going to wipe the floor with you little slime ball on the scare floor."

Wazowski's dreamy smile suddenly fades and is replaced by a tight-lipped scowl. He takes two steps forward and points an accusatory finger at Sullivan's chest, asking in halting words, "What. Was. That?"

"You heard me right, kid," Sullivan says, not looking at all fazed by the abrupt chance in Wazowski's demeanor. "I'm going to wipe the floor with you."

"How dare you?!" Wazowski asks in a horrified voice before he runs forward with a determined look in his eye and starts pummeling Sullivan on the chest with his tiny green fists. This doesn't affect Sullivan in the least and is actually comical to watch...until the black curtain is thrown back and Dean Hardscrabble comes into view.

All eyes drop to the floor and all movement stops as the Dean comes into view. I freeze where I am, glad that I wasn't part of the fray between Sullivan and Wazowski. The green eyeball quickly lowers his fists, probably recalling the rule the headmistress explained to us yesterday. Any sort of violence whatsoever will result in dismissal from the school. My heart leaps and I wonder for a moment if Wazowski will be banished from the university! Not having to deal with that little pea brain would make life a little bit easier.

A very long, intense silence stretches out and forms a thick tension in the room. Seconds stretch into minutes. Wazowski starts fiddling with his hands and Sullivan intentionally keeps his eyes on the floor, both of them looking very guilty. At this point, even the silence is making me, an innocent bystander, feel uncomfortable.

Finally, after what seems like an hour even though it could only have been a couple of minutes, Dean Hardscrabble speaks in an icy cold voice, "Monsters University is a school that builds one another up and does not degrade one another. Insulting another monster is like insulting yourself. It proves to me just how insecure you are and that it is more than likely that you should not even be here at Monsters University." Wazowski opens his mouth to speak, but Dean Hardscrabble holds up her hand to keep him quiet and continues on, "I will not dismiss either of you from the school today, but if this happens again, I will have no other choice. Both of you are free to go. I do not want to see you insulting another student again. Is that clear?"

Wazowski nods, but doesn't make a move toward the locker room door. Instead, he hesitates and dares a look up at the Dean's hard expression before he asks, "But what about our scaring tryouts? I still want to be a scarer! I've wanted to be a scarer for my entire life."

"Neither of you will be attending the after school scare program," Dean Hardscrabble says firmly in a voice that warns Wazowski not to question her further. I have to bite back a chuckle at Wazowski's expression. His eye looks like it is going to bulge out of his head and his jaw is dropped.

"_I _didn't do anything, Dean Hardscrabble," Sullivan points out, looking just as shocked as Wazowski.

"You didn't engage in any physical violence, but you did egg Mr. Wazowski on. I hope that this dismissal from the scare program will be enough for you both to rethink your attitudes," Dean Hardscrabble says in a clipped tone of voice, raising a thin finger and pointing to the door in a gesture that tells Sullivan and Wazowski to get out.

Wazowski, who has finally found his voice again, blurts out in horror, "But I'm his roommate, Mrs. Hardscrabble! I can't stay there with him all year!"

"Yes, you can and you will if you want to remain here at Monsters University," Dean Hardscrabble says coldly. "I expect you two to come to some sort of understanding. After that, I expect to hear no more arguing. I think that I have made myself more than clear regarding this situation. Both of you are dismissed. If I have to ask you to leave again, I will find another teacher to personally escort you back up to your room."

Still looking extremely displeased and like they still have a lot more to say about the matter, Sullivan and Wazowski turn away from Dean Hardscrabble, both with slumped shoulders and somber expressions. By dismissing them from the scare program, the Dean basically just dismissed their future careers as scarers for Monsters Inc. Sure, they can try all they want in the two basic, free-for-all scaring classes, but it's less than likely that they'll manage to graduate with only those. Wazowski deserves this plain and simple. Sullivan, on the other hand, well, I'm not really sure. Part of me is relieved. At least I won't have to worry about him rivaling me at the end of the year. On the other hand, having someone challenge me might have helped me work harder though...

The Dean's breaks through my internal thoughts. I feel her light hand on my shoulder and listen to her speak in a quieter, gentler tone as she says, "You're next, Mr. Boggs."

I jerk my head up in surprise. After all of the pandemonium between Sullivan and Wazowski, I've completely forgotten what I'm here for! I really need to get it together before I blow my chances for becoming the school's top scarer like Sullivan and Wazowski just did. Nodding once, I follow the Dean behind the black curtain, expecting to find a strange obstacle course or some sort of peculiar demonstration or the other on this side of the curtain. Instead, all I see are two wooden chairs facing one another and several fans lining the curtain.

My dubious expression must show through because the Dean smiles a very small smile at me as she says, "The fans are to muffle our words so we can have a bit of privacy. Please sit."

Still surprised and relieved not to see an obstacle course, I scuttle across the floor and perch on the edge of the wooden chair facing the Dean. I run a webbed hand through the fronds on the top of my head nervously. If this isn't a physical test, is it a mental test? Is the Dean gonna quiz me on scaring history or on scaring techniques?

Dean Hardscrabble takes a seat opposite me and speaks in a kind voice, "Tell me why you want to become a scarer, Mr. Boggs. You needn't worry about anyone overhearing you. I tested out the efficiency of the fans earlier myself."

I know exactly why I want to be a scarer, but I don't start talking right away. Nothing is worse than stuttering like Fungus or blabbing like Wazowski. I arrange what I want to say into cohesive sentences before explaining, "I've wanted to be a scarer ever since I was old enough to know what a scarer was. Everyone knows that becoming a scarer is the greatest accomplishment that any monster can achieve here at the university. I've always wanted this for myself and for my mother. She works real hard, but we've always lived in a shack in a shabby part of town. I want to work at Monsters Inc., prove to myself that I have what it takes to become a scarer, and get my mother a nicer place away from the slums."

I also want to do all of this in Wazowski's face, but Dean Hardscrabble obviously doesn't need to know that. She looks pleased and asks me in a curious voice, "Do you have any particular talents or skills that make you think that you have what it takes to be a scarer?"

"I can blend in with my surroundings. Most chameleons can, I believe," I say, trying not to sound ostentatious like Wazowski. He got on the Dean's bad side without trying too hard. I'm gonna learn from his mistake and not repeat it.

"Actually, it is a rare trait. Only certain chameleons possess it. Camouflaging oneself is rather difficult though and takes lots of self control and concentration," the Dean informs me, looking impressed. "Have you learned how to control your ability yet?"

"No, not yet," I admit guiltily, looking at the floor. I had thought that I had mastered my talent until I failed to blend in with my surroundings on the bus only yesterday.

"Hm, well, we'll just have to work on that then. Welcome to the scare program, Mr. Boggs. We meet after school at six pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays here in the gym," Dean Hardscrabble informs me before noticing the frozen look on my face. I can't quite seem to believe what I'm hearing. I've actually been accepted into the scaring program?! The Dean smiles once again, a slightly bigger smile this time as she says, "That's all for now. I look forwards to seeing you on Tuesday. You are dismissed."

Feeling pleasantly surprised, I stand up and scuttle back out of the room before the Dean can change her mind about me. Once I'm on the other side of the black curtain, a wave of relief washes over me. My scuttle turns into a proud strut as I toss my head in the air and start slowly toward the locker room, seeing no need to hurry now.

As I cross the room, a hand makes contact with my wrist and Scott Squibbles whispers to me anxiously, "How did it go? Are tryouts hard?"

"Nah, not hard at all," I reassure Scott, flashing him a smile that reveals my seventy-four teeth. "Just act normal and be yourself."

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_Review please! :)_


	11. Chapter X

**Wew Wi: Wow...long review, lol. I did read through all of it and I appreciate your suggestions. This story is by no means perfect, so there will be some flaws in it. For that, I apologize in advance. You're a JohnnyxRandy shipper? I know another one of those. Can't say I'm too big on the pairing myself considering the two's interactions. I prefer JohnnyxChet, but to each his/her own.  
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**Mentalguru: Oh, it's totally alright, I forget to review a lot of the things that I read as well. That's the problem with being a writer. I guess I feel sorry for Mike...I dunno, he's not my favorite. xD Have you see MU yet? :)  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Randy definitely deserved to get accepted into the scaring program, you know? I feel bad for Sulley too although Mike deserved it with his snarkiness. xD I don't know why, but Mike has always been one of my least favorite characters. How do you feel about Mike? Hm...well, I can assure you that I always finish my stories and that I will try and update frequently. There's nothing worse than an unfinished story. Omg, I love that scene with Randall and Fungus in the bathroom. :P I think that my favorite scene is...hm...the chasing scene at the end! I love that. :D  
**

**a fan: I'll go check out that video right now! :) Thank you for recommending it! That's such a nice compliment about my Randall. I'm so glad that you think that he's in character. Are you going to see Monsters University soon or have you already seen it?  
**

**Snowcakie: Well, I took more of MI Mike and added him to this story if that's what you're asking. He purposely goes out of his way to annoy Randall in it, so I brought that over into MU. There will be some girl characters in this such as the PNKs, HSS's, and Celia, so don't worry. :) I'm not a big fan of OCs though, so that's why I'm using some of the new characters instead.  
**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: Mike, you can be such an idiot at times. *shakes my head at him with you* I'm glad you liked the bit with him punching Sulley and nothing happening. xD That actually wasn't from a trailer, I just sort of made it up. I love to experiment with characters' pasts as well! It's so much fun to give them backstories (especially tragic ones). I don't really go into detail on Funk's past here, but I do say that he has "eccentric" parents, haha. True though, I mean, who the hell names a kid Fungus? D'awww, Boo is so cute! I wish that I looked like her when I was a little kid. Heh, you like Mike? He is funny, but he gets on my nerves with the way he treats Randall sometimes. OMG, the "adorable" snowman and his snow cones! That's hilarious. :D Thanks for hoping that I figure things out. *hugs* I hope so too. I'm so sorry about how your friends seem to be avoiding you. That's such an awful feeling. I've always kind of been the "odd one out" so to speak. Nobody would ever want me around or invite me to social events. Omg, what if we could watch MU together? :D That would be so much fun if it was possible! I feel like everyone's seen it but me. -_- My bestie gave me a bunch of spoilers though, so I feel a little bit better about not seeing it. I hope that you get to see it soon! Thanks for the review. :)  
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**Chapter X  
**

Now that I've been accepted into the scare program, everything seems a hell of a lot easier. The heavy chain that I've been dragging around with me all morning has disappeared off of my back and has left me feeling light-hearted and hopeful. Despite her cold appearance, Dean Hardscrabble seems like a decent headmistress as long as you don't get on her wrong side like Wazowski and Sullivan did earlier. I'm still inwardly gloating about Wazowski's dismissal from the special scare program. He deserved that and more for his constant boastful behavior and even more so for insulting everyone he encounters. I can easily hear him calling me a four-eyed freak in my head. The thick-skulled cretin should be a little slower to speak from now on.

I pass through the locker room without much thought until I find myself in the hallway. At this point, I come to a halt and frown. I remember checking my schedule only last night so I would know exactly which classes to go to at what hours. I know that I have the history of Monstropolis at some point today, but I'm pretty sure that it's not my first class. Maybe I have arithmetic instead. Yeah, that sounds right. I take a few steps down the hall and then come to another halt. I have no clue where the arithmetic classroom is and I don't have my arithmetic textbook with me. Looks like the long trip back up the winding staircase to the room I share with one-eyed Doom is inevitable. Sighing, I turn tail and weave my way through monsters dawdling here and there as I take the stairs two at a time.

A good ten minutes later, I reach my room and slide the room key in the door handle as quickly as I can. The heavy door falls open and I burst inside. Not wanting to be late for my first class, I dive into the corner and start throwing books this way and that as I look for my arithmetic textbook. There it is on the bottom of my pile. Go figure.

I know that I've made a mess and that books, notepads, pencils, erases, and other school supplies are scattered all over the floor, but I don't have time to clean them up now. I'll have to do that later tonight. Scooping up my textbook, a notebook to take notes with, a pencil, and an eraser, I kick all of my belongings onto my side of the room just in case one-eyed Doom comes in here while I'm gone, and then scurry out the door before realizing that I've forgotten something yet again. Geez, my mind is already failing me and I'm only eighteen!

Retracing my steps, I enter the dorm room for a second time and hurry over to my nightstand. I tug my map off of the smooth surface and rush out the door, trying to multi-task by walking and reading the map at the same time. The words printed on the map seem to blur and distort as I attempt to concentrate on them. Multi-tasking apparently isn't the way to go.

I come to a halt just outside of my room and peer earnestly through my thick-rimmed glasses at the map to try and find the arithmetic classroom. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it takes me a good five minutes before I manage to locate the place on the map that says "arithmetic". Well, at least it _looks_ like it says arithmetic. I can only identify about half of the letters in the word, but what other class starts with an "a"? Assuming that the room I've located on the map really is the arithmetic classroom, I start down the hallway looking an idiot with the map pressed against my nose as I attempt to find the arithmetic classroom which, if my map-reading skills are correct, should be on the third floor.

Less than confident in my map-reading skills, I clutch my school supplies tightly to my chest and begin the descent down the steep staircase. Seems like I'm gonna be seeing a lot of this staircase considering how many times I've already been up and down it just this morning.

I'm still preoccupied picking my way around the swarms of students going opposite directions on the stairs when I notice one-eyed Doom and one of the members from his gang stomping and hovering up the staircase. The expression on Doom's friend's face is murderous, and despite not having a face besides for his single eye, Doom himself looks hellishly distraught. I avert my eyes and continue on my way toward class, but not without wondering if Dean Hardscrabble rejected the two from her after school scare program.

After a lot of unintentional pushing and shoving through the crowded hallway that leads to the arithmetic classroom, I finally arrive in front of the door that I've been looking for. Hesitating, I creak the door open and peer inside it doubtfully, not sure if this really is the arithmetic classroom or not.

"Hello there! Are you here for arithmetic?" a friendly voice booms out as soon as I enter the room. I stop where I am and nod suspiciously. "Great! You've found the right place. Go ahead and sit down at an empty desk. There should be a few left. I see one in the back to your right there."

I nod once more, hating to have the attention of all of the class on me as I slink toward the back of the classroom. From the looks of things, I'm the very last student to enter the classroom. Every other desk besides for the one in the back corner of the room is occupied. I make a mental note to try and arrive at class earlier next time I have arithmetic.

Once I've claimed the empty desk, I perch on the edge of the chair behind it and neatly place my textbook, notebook, and pencil onto the center of the desk. I carefully hide my class schedule/map underneath my book to keep from accidentally losing it. After that, I look up to take in my surroundings.

The arithmetic classroom has gray-flecked carpeted flooring, white walls covered in posters obscured with odd numerical values and signs, and has large windows on the right side of the classroom which allow sunlight to stream into the small room. Several rows of desks have been placed in orderly lines of five desks per row in the classroom. The professor, a scaly monster with ridges on the back of his head and scales the colors of burnt orange, stands at the front of the room next to a chalkboard. He beams out at his class, holding a piece of chalk in his right hand as he observes all of us. The classroom is filled with at least fifty students, give or take a few.

"Good morning, class! It's great to see a new group of smiling faces. I am Professor Knight and will be your teacher for this class," Professor Knight says, adjusting his white shirt with the yellow and maroon striped tie tucked into it before he turns and writes his name on the chalkboard.

Everyone simultaneously murmurs hello to Professor Knight, well, most everyone. There are a few students who look like they don't want to be here. They have their lips stuck out in pouts and have their arms folded over their chests. Yeah, arithmetic ain't the most exciting class ever, but all of the students here should be grateful for the opportunities in life that the university presents them with. I bet that most of these students don't know what it's like to live in the shabbiest parts of Monstropolis, constantly having to worry about their mother's sanity and memory.

"I know what most of you are thinking," Professor Knight says as he turns back to the class. "You're probably all wondering why you have to take arithmetic in a school that specializes in scaring. Am I right? Yes? I thought so. Please raise your hand if you have any idea why arithmetic is taught at this university."

I might have raised my hand, but shyness keeps my hand rigidly planted by my side. For a long moment, no hands move. Finally, the hand of the fuzzy, arch-shaped monster that I keep seeing from time to time raises. His beady dark eyes bounce around the room nervously as if he's not even sure why he's raising his hand.

"Yes, Mr...?" Professor Knight asks the student, his dark brown eyes searching and failing to recall the students' name.

"It's Art, sir," the monster, clearly called Art, says. "I was thinking that maybe we need to know arithmetic to add up our scare totals when we graduate to Monsters Inc.?"

"Good prediction, my boy, but the purpose of arithmetic being taught at this university has nothing to do with scaring whatsoever," Professor Knight says, glancing around the room as he asks, "Does anyone else have any idea why arithmetic is a key subject taught here at Monsters University?"

This time, not a single hand raises. I'm still tempted to raise my hand, but answering Professor Knight's question correctly isn't worth having the entire class shift in their chairs to turn around and look at me as I attempt to answer the question. It would only be worth it if I could show off in front of Wazowski. A quick scan of the room shows me that the green eyeball is no \where to be seen, so I decide to hold my tongue for now and instead pick up my pencil, ready to take notes on what Professor Knight tells us.

"Arithmetic is taught at Monsters University because it is a skill that every intelligent monster needs to know for everyday purposes. After all, if someone tells you to go to the grocery store and pick up a dozen eggs, how can you do that if you don't know the meaning of a dozen?" Professor Knight asks, raising an eyebrow. "I am not going to lie to you and say that learning arithmetic is going to be incredibly exciting, but I am going to impress upon you the importance of passing this subject. Dean Hardscrabble has told me to inform you that those of you who are hoping to graduate from the school as scarers must pass this class in order to achieve their goal."

A loud, unsuppressed moan rises up from the students. I don't groan along with everyone else, but make a note on my notepad that I need to pass this class in order to fulfill my dream. It looks like I'm gonna be doing a lot of studying, reading, and problem solving for arithmetic just to make sure that I pass the class.

"Now, now, let's at least try to have good attitudes," Professor Knight says in response to all of the moaning. "Please turn to page one, chapter one. You may start reading chapter one right now and continue it in your free time. By the time we meet next Monday, I expect the entire chapter to have been read and the following questions to have been answered. Is this clear?"

There is a murmur of agreement from the class as well as a few more grumbles. Professor Knight decides to ignore them and starts absentmindedly walking through the rows of desks to make sure that we're all finding the proper pages and are reading the correct chapter in our books.

I immediately find page one, chapter one and start quickly, but thoroughly reading the chapter. I was never taught arithmetic before, but what I learn from the book comes easily to me. Chapter one covers basic addition problems. These I can handle. Just in case, I take notes while I'm reading so I can't forget anything that might be necessary to know later.

As I take a note, I suddenly notice that the only sound in the room is the scratching of my pen against my notepad. Nobody else is taking notes. Glancing up from under my thick-rimmed glasses, I peer around the room and find that about only half of the students are even bothering to read. I'm the only one who seems to be trying to actually master the chapter. I meet a few curious gazes of students around me who are lounging in their desks or are chewing bubblegum instead of reading. They look at me like I'm crazy for taking notes on a subject like arithmetic.

Turning away from their inquisitive eyes, I return to my reading and note taking. All of these lackadaisical monsters will pay for their laziness someday. I'll become the school's top scarer and they'll all be wishing that they had paid a bit more attention in arithmetic.

Class is almost over when Professor Knight strides along the row of desks that my desk happens to be a part of. His bespectacled gaze falls onto me and my notes and I can already tell that he is unintentionally going to embarrass me in front of the whole class. Great. Just what I need on my first day.

"Look at this!" Professor Knight exclaims in approval as he picks up my notebook and waves it around for everyone to see. "A student is actually taking notes, something that all of you ought to be doing to pass this class at the end of the year. What is your name?"

My cheeks flush an ugly shade of dark purple mixed with red as I mumble in a low voice, "Randy Boggs."

"Well done, my boy!" Professor Knight says, clapping me on the shoulder. "I want all of you to take Mr. Boggs here as an example. Study hard and you will succeed in this class. Ah, look at the time! Our time together went by much too fast, didn't it? You're all dismissed. Remember that arithmetic is the same time for you next Monday."

There are the combined sounds of chairs scrapping across the floor, footsteps on the carpet, and the shuffle of papers as everyone gets to their feet. I'm still recovering from getting embarrassed in front of the entire class as I tuck my arithmetic textbook under my arm along with my other school supplies.

As I start toward the doorway, I notice a lot of snide looks and glares thrown in my direction. Some of the students mouth "geek", "nerd", and "teacher's pet" at me. I let these sorts of comments bounce off of my scales without affecting me. Everyone here will be sorry someday when they fail their final exams.

A shuffling sound comes from behind me as I escape toward the hallway with everyone else. Looking over my shoulder, I find Scott Squibbles hurrying to catch up with me. Something is clearly wrong with Scott from the downcast expression on his face. I've never seen the jelly-like monster depressed like this before.

Slowing my steps so Scott can catch up with me, I raise an eyebrow and ask him quietly so that the other students can't hear, "What's eating you?"

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_Review please! :)_


	12. Chapter XI

**BloodyRedRoses04: Oh my, that is SUCH a nice compliment! Your words really made my day - thank you! Are you a Randall fan, I'm guessing?  
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**Mentalguru: Oh dear, how are you going to survive until mid-July?! That seems like a very long time to have to wait. =/ I saw it last night and I'm very happy with how it turned out! Thanks about the quick updates. I guess I have no life and that's why I write so much, lol.  
**

**xBearingSecretsx: I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that Mike is on the annoying side. Guess what? I finally got to see MU! It was really good imo! I thought that it was going to be a lot worse. Anyway, I love that scene where Sulley first sees Boo! It's so funny to see a big, scary monster running from a little kid, you know? xD You definitely don't have to worry about me finishing my stories. I always finish them because I don't think that anything is worse than an unfinished story. *shudders* I'm so sorry about math for you! I've never been good at math myself and I'll admit that my grades this past year have not been the best. Btw, you make videos? That's really awesome!  
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**a fan: I did like the video on Randall! Thank you again for linking me. :) It's a shame that you weren't able to go to see MU. I hope that you can see it soon! Do you think that you'll get to see it sometime soon? Thanks so much for liking the last chapter! I'm glad that school's out too! *high fives you*  
**

**I-Like-Sulley: I got to see MU too! I thought that it was very good as well. Did you have a favorite part from it? Haha, I'm glad that you liked the bit with the teacher embarrassing Randall in class. That always used to happen to me. xD  
**

**Energy Witch: I agree with you complete! I mean, isn't it a GOOD thing to be smart? People should be encouraging Randall, not picking on him. Thank you so much for reviewing!  
**

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**Chapter XI  
**

Scott hesitates at my inquiry, not answering me right away. I search his face, trying to detect what's bothering him, but find no answers written in the creases of his forehead. Giving up, I wait for the jelly-like monster to speak. Finally, once we're outside of the arithmetic classroom and away from prying ears, Scott takes a deep breath and faces me as he admits, "I got turned down. I went to talk to Dean Hardscrabble about joining the special scare program, but she turned me away. She said that I just wasn't scary enough for the things she had in mind for her scarers. I don't get it. You have to _learn_ how to be scary, right? It's not like something you're either born with or without, right?"

Now it's my turn to hesitate as Scott and I walk down the hallway toward the winding staircase that will lead us to our next destination - the cafeteria. Looking at Scott's soft, typically smiling face, I have to admit that I understand why Dean Hardscrabble turned him away. He isn't built to be a scarer. I can see Scott as a scarer's assistant, but not as a scarer himself.

Trying not to insult Scott, I shrug and say, "Yeah, I guess you learn how to be a scarer. I thought that you didn't want to be a scarer though."

"Well, I didn't, but Terry and Terri got me really excited about the whole thing!" Scott says, sighing melodramatically as the two of us begin weaving our way around the cluster of students going up and down the steep staircase. "They both got rejected too. I guess that it's harder to become a scarer than I thought it would be."

"Yeah, it's no easy thing," I admit, knowing full well that nobody can become a scarer in one day. Remembering the argument between two certain monsters earlier, I add, "The headmistress is real particular considering how she turned Sullivan down earlier after witnessing his fight with Wazowski. Remember that?"

"I do remember that. That's mental," Scott says, recalling the way Sullivan opened the heavy door for us earlier and adding, "Sulley is really strong and really big. He would've been a great scarer. I wonder if Dean Hardscrabble fell out of bed and hit her head on the floor a little too hard this morning."

I end up chuckling despite myself and reply, "Unlikely, but hope all you want."

Scott's expression remains grim and he looks like he really is hoping that the Dean is suffering from post-traumatic stress and will reconsider accepting him into the scare program after she starts seeing things reasonably again. The two of us continue down the rest of the stairs in silence, Scott still looking unhappy and me inspecting my schedule to see what classes I have for this afternoon. It looks as if I have art next and then my very first scare class. This is just the generic, free-for-all class on scaring, but I find a little flare of anticipation burning inside of me as I think about the class. It seems as if I've waited all of my life for today. Everything I've done up until this point, well, it was just to get me through eighteen long years of struggling to help my mother and keep us fed and sheltered.

The cafeteria isn't too hard to find and Scott and I round the corner to the large room not too many minutes later. Everyone has lunch breaks at different times depending on their class schedules, so the cafeteria isn't as full as it will be during dinner. Scott remains uncharacteristically silent, his many eyes looking strained and mouth set in a grim line. If I knew him better, I'd say that he's up to something, but since I don't, I can't say what the monster is up to.

As the two of us enter the mostly empty lunchroom, I detect five familiar figures at the end of the lunch line. My feet stop moving as I notice one-eyed Doom and his gang at the very end of the line. Great. It seems as if I'm running into Doom and his gang wherever I go. My appetite seems to dissolve and I no longer feel hungry. In fact, screw lunch, I'm not hungry at all.

Tapping Scott on the shoulder with a webbed finger pad to get his attention, I nod toward an empty table across the room that's far away from Doom and the others, saying in a low tone of voice, "Look, I'm not hungry so I'm just gonna sit down and wait for you over there, okay?"

"Uh, okay," Scott says absentmindedly, not looking like he's paying the least bit of attention to what I'm saying. I turn away from him and have already started slinking toward the table of my choice when Scott calls after me in a much too loud voice that is sure to attract the attention of Doom and the others, "Wait, what was that? You're not hungry? Do you want me to get something for you?"

"Shh!" I hiss, paranoia flooding through me as I place a delicate finger against Scott's big mouth and hiss, "No need to let the whole cafeteria know what we're talking about. And no, I don't want anything." Scott looks at me with wide eyes, obviously concerned about my strange antics. Seeing now that Doom hasn't turned his piercing crimson eye on me, I let down my guard a bit and mumble, "Sorry, I just...never mind. I'm fine, okay? Everything's good."

Scott nods, not looking like he believes me as he joins me in gazing around furtively, whispering back, "But then why are we whispering?"

I have to admit that Scott has a good point. Why exactly _are_ we whispering? Because I have this bad gut feeling about one-eyed Doom and his gang looking at me the wrong way? That sounds utterly idiotic even to my own ears, so I obviously can't tell Scott about it. I try to come up with a little white lie to feed him, but my mind stays stubbornly blank. Truth is that I really shouldn't be so worried about Doom and the others. Sure, they're threatening looking, but if I stay away from them, they'll stay away from me, right?

"I'll tell you in a minute," I tell Scott, buying myself some time to come up with a believable lie.

Someone else might have refused to let the subject go for the time being, but Scott nods and turns back to the lunch line while I slip through the cafeteria to my selected table far from any of the other occupied tables. I suppose that sitting by myself as far away from the other students as possible makes me look anti-social and maybe even a little snobbish, but I prefer it that way. I don't seem to fit in with the other students. Scott, Don Carlton, and the others I've met are all nice, but they don't really understand me. That's fine though. I'm not here at school for heart-to-heart chats with fellow students. I'm here to learn and become the great scarer I've always wanted to be.

Bored, I dump my school supplies onto the empty cafeteria table and open my arithmetic book to page ten. I might as well finish reading chapter one and then get started on the problems Professor Knight assigned to the class. I know that they're not due until next week, but it never hurts to start on things early. Besides, I'm bound to get more homework during my next few classes. Squinting my eyes and adjusting my purple-rimmed glasses, I disappear into a world of numbers and plus signs until Scott shatters the illusion and brings me back to reality by tapping on my shoulder.

A little jumpy and snappy, I jerk upright and ask, "What?"

Scott recoils and takes an automatic step backward, nearly dropping his lunch tray in the process. He steadies it and then says in a slightly nervous voice, "Um, I was just thinking about going to sit with those guys other there. You know, with Don, Terry, Terri, Art, and Sulley? They've all been rejected from the scare program too."

I look up and squint into the distance in the direction Scott that is pointing in. Sure enough, I can make out Art's fuzzy purple-striped figure and Sullivan's slumped shoulders. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Shrugging my shoulders and figuring that Scott could use some comfort or feel better exchanging insulting comments about the headmistress with these other rejects, I reply, "Yeah, sure. Do what you want."

"Okay," Scott says, taking a few steps forward before hesitating and looking back at me. I've already dropped my head back to my arithmetic book, but I can feel Scott's gaze on my face as he hesitates and asks, "Aren't you coming too? There's still lots of room at the table."

I consider my answer for a moment, but already know it deep in my heart. I shake my head curtly and go back to adding numbers. Scott hesitates one more moment before deciding to join his other friends instead of sitting at my lone table. This hurts just a little, but I manage to brush the feeling off relatively quickly. It's not like I can blame Scott for wanting some real company. I'm not exactly an ideal friend considering the fact that I prefer studying to gossiping. Besides, I wouldn't fit in at the table of rejects. They'd all be jealous of me for being the only monster to make the scare program. This is also working out in my favor because I never came up with a lie to tell Scott to mask my paranoia about one-eyed Doom and the others. Guess I should be grateful for the intervention.

Still, despite all the reasoning I do with myself, I find that I feel just the slightest bit lonely. I tell myself that this is my own fault and go back to drowning myself in my arithmetic textbook. I glance up a couple of times to see what Don, Art, Sullivan, Scott, and the other rejects are up to. They are all leaning forward and appear to be debating something, probably the demise of the headmistress from the looks of things. A half-smile curves the corners of my lips before I go back to figuring out what two hundred nineteen plus thirty-seven is.

A good ten minutes later, I hear the soft pitter patter of delicate footsteps approaching my table. At first I assume that it's Scott, but then I realize that his footsteps would sound a lot louder. Deciding to let myself be surprised, I wait to look up from my book until the quiet footsteps come to a halt besides me and a familiar voice asks cautiously, "Do you m-mind if I s-sit here?"

No need to figure out who this is. Only one monster stutters in this manner. Waving a hand to the empty chairs surrounding my table, I snap my arithmetic textbook shut with my other hand and reply, "Be my guest. I was getting sick of adding for the time being anyway. What's up?"

"N-nothing really," Fungus says as he pulls out a chair next to me and sits down by my side. Fungus never really has anything all that interesting to say, but I appreciate his company regardless. I fix him with bright green eyes and wait for him to say something else. Fungus takes what looks like a pretty normal looking sandwich from his tray and lifts it to his mouth, saying, "I had computer class this morning. It was interesting, I suppose. I have art next, I t-think."

"Computers, huh?" I ask, immediately interested. A surge of jealous jolts through me as I add, "How come you get computers and I have to take arithmetic? Hell, I'm the one with the glasses! I'm supposed to be a computer nerd and all that according to popular opinion."

"I have glasses too," Fungus points out after swallowing a bite of sandwich. Unable to hide his obvious curiosity, the smaller red monster asks me, "Did you m-make the scare group?"

My eyes light up as I realize that Fungus wants to talk about how I am one of the select monsters to have made it into Dean Hardscrabble's special scare program. Leaning forward as if I'm about to share a secret with Fungus, I murmur, "Yeah. It wasn't too hard. All she did was ask me a few questions and that was that."

"Wow," Fungus breaths in awe, looking at me as if I'm some sort of god. The admiration for me is clear in his eyes as he goes on, "That's really great, Randy!"

"Eh, it was nothing," I say, trying to brush off the compliment even though I'm secretly appreciative of Fungus' behavior. Realizing that for the first time ever that I actually do want to share a bit of gossip, I lean even closer to Fungus and drop my voice a few notches as I ask, "Guess who didn't make the scare team though?"

Fungus' face goes completely blank. He stares at his sandwich as if hoping that it will give him the answer to my question. When the sandwich proves to be completely unhelpful, Fungus stammer, "I-I don't know. Who?"

"Wazowski!" I grin, all seventy-four sharp teeth revealed as I give Fungus the answer to his question. The smaller monster's face morphs into an expression of incredulity. Figuring that I ought to give him an explanation, I go on, "Shocking, right? Apparently, the little cretin and Sullivan got into an argument. They got real heated bickering in the middle of the gym where the headmistress could hear them. It was stupid really. I think that they were arguing about who would be the better scarer someday and whatnot. Anyway, the Dean dismissed them both and said that she wouldn't tolerate that sort of behavior from them ever again. So you know what this means, don't you, Funk?"

"Er..." Fungus hesitates, apparently not knowing what this means. "It means they've been given a w-warning?"

"No," I sigh, realizing that asking Fungus questions isn't gonna get either of us anywhere. "It means that Wazowski will be dismissed from the school next time he screws up, and knowing Wazowski, that won't be very long from now. Once he's gone, I'll have a clear path to the title of scarer of the year."

"That's right," Fungus nods so vehemently that his glasses start to slide down his nose. He sets down his sandwich for a moment to readjust his glasses before asking curiously, "W-what about Sullivan though? You aren't worried about him at all?"

"Nah. He doesn't get under my skin like Wazowski does," I reply honestly.

"Why?" Fungus immediately questions back, tilting his head at me in curiosity.

"I dunno why actually. He seems decent enough," I shrug my shoulders before meeting Fungus' suspicious gaze. Throwing up my hands, I say, "Don't look at me like that, Funk! I said I dunno why he doesn't bother me."

Fungus frowns and turns his gaze from my face over to Sullivan's table, lowering his voice to me as he whispers, "Well, I don't t-trust him. He looks like he's over there planning an evil plot with his e-evil cohorts. I think that we ought to keep a close eye on him."

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_Review please! :)_


	13. Chapter XII

**honorstudent97: I just read through your comment and it really brought a smile to my face! Thank you so much for the compliments! I'm glad that I've been able to turn you into a SulleyxRandall fan. I think that this couple needs more love! I'm not exactly sure when the romance starts, but I don't think that you'll be disappointed because there are actually several sex scenes in this, lol. I definitely won't abandon this story, don't worry! I've worked on it for months now and it means a lot to me (I sound sappy, sorry). Is Randall your favorite MI character? **

**xBearingSecretsx: Fungus is a cutie in this story, isn't he? I had fun messing with his personality. On a random note, I missed seeing him in MU. I would've liked to see him and Randall as college buddies. I'm glad that you loved MU too! What was your favorite part? I agree about Randall's story, but hey, maybe it's good that there's room for fans to use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Haha, I'm the same way with unfinished stories. They're a pet peeve of mine as well. Same over here about math! It's a little too confusing for me. I'm so sorry that someone hacked into your account! That must've been horrible! I'm glad that you might edit some MI/MU videos soon though! I'd love to see them. :D  
**

**a fan: The video was great! I'm sorry that you can't see MU until Wednesday, but I agree with the reviewers - it is very good! I really hope that it meets your expectations. You'll get to hear more about Fungus very soon. Do you like him as a character? I think that he's a good friend to Randy. Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**I-Like-Sulley: I'm so glad that you're loving it! :D I agree with you though; the gang is up to no good! Was Art your favorite character in the new movie? For some reason, I really love the part where he was all, "I have an extra toe! ...Not with me, of course..." That made me laugh. xP  
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**Energy Witch: That's true; people (or monsters in this case) do seem to have a way of surprising us when we least expect them to. Honestly, this story doesn't follow the movie that well. *hides* I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, it would be boring if it was exactly the same as the film, right? Thanks for reading!  
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**Chapter XII  
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I look over at Fungus in surprise. At first, I thought that the speckled red monster was an optimist, but it appears as if he has another side to him as well. He's staring through narrowed eyes in the direction of the table Sullivan is sitting at with Art, Don, Scott, and the others. Unable to help myself, I follow his gaze and have to admit that it does look as if they're conspiring against someone or something. Could Fungus be right? Are they planning something evil? ...Nah, Sullivan wouldn't do that. He's the good guy. I'm pretty positive that he doesn't like to play the villain unless he has to.

"Well, do us a favor and keep an eye on him for both of us, won't you, Funk?" I suggest to save myself the trouble of keeping an eye on Sullivan along with everything else that I have to remember to do, which includes getting to all of my classes on time, turning in my homework on time, and studying every moment of my free time so I can become the top scarer that I've always wanted to be.

"Yes," Fungus nods, managing to get one word out without stammering as he joins me in scrutinizing the table of scare program rejects from across the room. They're all leaning forward toward one another now as if they're sharing an important secret. Despite his suspicions, Fungus decides to change the subject and asks politely, "How was your f-first morning of school?"

"Let's see. First, I forgot to set my alarm clock due to the fact that I was up all night trying to figure out what I was gonna have to do for the scare program tryout. Then, I forgot my first class for the morning, so I had to retrace my steps and get my map and school supplies from my dorm. During arithmetic, Professor Knight decided to embarrass me by pointing out my note taking skills in front of the entire classroom. Of course I started getting called names like 'teacher's pet' after that. Kids are so jealous these days," I say, shaking my head in annoyance before turning to grin my sharp-toothed smile at Fungus, adding in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "But all in all, it's been a great morning."

Fungus registers what I'm saying and looks a little confused. I forgot that he doesn't understand sarcasm. Oops. The smaller monster finally says, "I'm glad that you still had a n-nice morning."

"Funk, it's what you call sarcasm. S-a-r-c-a-s-m," I spell the word out for him one letter at a time as if I'm trying to teach a kid the alphabet for the first time. Seeing that Fungus still isn't getting this, I completely change the subject and ask, "So what kinds of things do you learn at computer class anyway? I've always wanted to learn how to hack into a computer."

"We're just learning how to type quickly right now. I don't think that they'll teach us h-hacking here," Fungus says, almost managing to get through two sentences without stammering. It seems as if the more he talks to me, the less he stutters. Of course, that could just be wishful thinking on my part though since I'd like to think that I'm helping him out.

"Yeah, probably. I still wouldn't mind learning how to hack a computer though. That sort of thing could come in handy," I point out in a bored voice, my eyes absentmindedly floating over to the gigantic clock hanging on one of the walls of the cafeteria. Its large black hands indicate that I have exactly ten minutes to get to art class. I gracefully slip off of my chair and scoop my school supplies into my arms, chastising Fungus, "Say, you almost made me miss my next class! Look at the time!"

Fungus looks around blankly for a few moments before he focuses in on the large clock ticking steadily away. Blushing in a way that turns his naturally red cheeks a deep shade of crimson, the monster gives me an apologetic, "Sorry. I wasn't paying much attention to the time."

"Yeah, I know," I say, waiting for Fungus to get up and follow me to art class since we're in that class together. Fungus, however, seems to be rooted to the spot. Sighing melodramatically, I motion for him to get up with jerky gestures as I add, "Why are you still here then? Come on! Let's go!"

"Right, right!" Fungus repeats his sentence twice as he drops his sandwich on his lunch tray and stumbles to his feet. Not about to allow either of us to be late to art class on our first day of school, I tug on Fungus' arm and start pulling him along toward the doorway of the cafeteria. He's surprisingly light and easy to drag around. Fungus hesitates and points back to his lunch tray lying abandoned on the table, asking, "Don't you think that I should take c-care of that f-first?"

"No. Leave it. Someone else will take care of it. You need to worry about getting to art class on time. Speaking of which, I'm sure that you don't know where the art class is, huh?" I ask Fungus, shoving my glasses further up on my nose while I start digging through the school supplies tucked under my arm and to try and find my map of the school. Fungus' long silence is more than enough of an answer for me. Pushing the map into his hands, I reply dryly, "Thought so. Do me a favor and find the art class on the map for us, won't you? Either the map is about impossible to read or my eyesight is getting worse."

Fungus takes the map and scrutinizes it carefully. I drum my fingertips against my arms as I cross them over my chest and tap my foot against the floor impatiently. It takes Fungus a long time to find the art class. It's all the way up on floor four and we're on floor one. We're never gonna make it up to the forth floor in five minutes. I hurry toward the winding set of stairs that will lead me to the upper floors, but am stopped when Fungus grabs my forearm with one of his vivid orange hands. It's funny how I never noticed it before but the orange of his hands slowly morphs into the red of the rest of his body. By the time you reach his shoulders, the smaller monster's scales are completely red.

"I found a shortcut earlier. I t-think it might be helpful to use it n-now," Fungus stammers, noting that I'm on edge due to the possibility of being late for class.

Instead of getting mad, I find myself relieved. Coming to a halt, I wave Fungus onward and say, "Great. Let's take it now."

Fungus turns tail and immediately starts scurrying down the hallway in the opposite direction. I bite my lip and hesitate only for a moment before trailing after Fungus. If he doesn't know where he's going and gets us lost, I'm not gonna be happy. Fungus has not proved himself to be the most intelligent monster here so far, so it's not too hard to see why I lack faith in his supposed shortcuts.

However, it turns out that I didn't need to be concerned after all. Fungus comes to a halt only a minute later at the opposite side of the school and points proudly at a silver door with a big red button besides it. It takes me a moment before I figure out what the shiny metal door leads to.

"An elevator, huh? Nice work, Funk! We would've missed half the class if you hadn't found this earlier," I praise the smaller red monster before stabbing the red button with a webbed finger. The silver doors react immediately to my touch and slide open. I hurry inside it and hit the button that will bring Fungus and me to room four.

Even though the elevator is more helpful than not, it seems to take an eternity to close. Once it finally does, I feel my stomach drop as we travel up, up, up. Fungus' cheeks are still flushed from my earlier comment. I stare at him curiously out of the corners of my eyes. It's almost as if nobody has ever thanked him for anything in his life before.

Finally, the elevator comes to a halt and Fungus and I step out of it and into a mostly deserted hallway. I wonder how long it's gonna take before the other students learn about the secret elevator. Probably not long although I'm positive that the elevator is not marked on the map. Since there's only one room at the end of this hallway, Fungus and I hurry toward it. Crossing my fingers that we're not late, I push the door to the art classroom open just as the clock hits one pm.

A peach-colored female monster wearing a formal-looking suit is standing at the front of the classroom. She has small wings tucked neatly into her sides and resembles a bat from the human world. She turns her focus to us and smiles at my concerned expression, saying in a reassuring voice, "Right on time. Please take a seat at one of the tables, you two. Class is just about to begin."

I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding and search the art classroom for an empty table. Unfortunately, unlike the arithmetic classroom, there are four chairs to a table instead of individual tables and desks. Each table in the room has at least one occupant already at it. I would go to sit by Scott, but he's already sitting next to Sullivan, Don, and those other monsters - what were their names again? - Terry and Terri, I think. My eyes scan over the other desks as I try to look for someone the least intimidating to sit next to. I manage to catch Wazowski's eye and stiffen. He narrows his eye at me and frowns, apparently still in a sour mood from earlier. I flick my eyes to the table across the room from him, but notice one-eyed Doom and a few members of his gang already sitting at it. Geez, none of these tables look too inviting, but I have to sit somewhere, and the longer I stand here looking around, the more of an idiot I appear to be.

"Psst," Fungus whispers in my ear, standing on his tiptoes. Once he's gotten my attention, he points a slender orange finger at a table in the center of the room.

Hoping that this table might be a possibility, I follow Fungus' finger and find a half-empty table. A fuzzy orange and yellow striped monster wearing a constant smile is already sitting at the table next to a slimy looking bluish-purple monster. Deciding to take a chance, I weave my way through the other tables and sit down next to the striped monster. Fungus sits to my left and class begins.

"Good afternoon, class. I hope that you're enjoying your time here at Monsters University so far. My name is Professor Jones and I'm going to be teaching your art class this year. The first thing I would like to know is whether or not we have any aspiring artists here. If you're thinking about a career in art, please raise your hand now," Professor Jones says.

Every head turns and looks around the room. Nobody at our table raises a hand. In fact, the only monster in the entire room who raises his hand is, not surprisingly, the furry purple-striped Art.

"Hm, not too many aspiring artists here, I see. I suppose that makes sense though seeing as this is the school that produces the most scarers at the end of the year. I'm going to assume that most of you want to be scarers. Is that right?" Professor Jones asks, raising a delicate eyebrow at us. There is a sudden murmur of agreement, during which almost everyone nods. Professor Jones smiles at us knowingly and says, "It looks like I am right. Anyway, I believe that art is not something that should be taught, but more a craft that should take its own course through experimentation, persistence, and practice. Therefore, I'm not going to give you a lot of guidance in this class. Instead, I'll give you assignments and let you do them however you want to do them."

A visible sigh rolls through the classroom as everyone relaxes. This looks like it's gona be a relatively easy class compared to my other ones. The only problem is that art isn't exactly what you'd call my specialty. I've never drawn much, and judging from my doodle on my dinner remains last night, I'm no artist.

"Today, we're going to be painting. Like I said before, there won't be many rules regarding your art. Paint whatever you want to paint," Professor Jones tells us good naturedly. "I could use a few volunteers. I need someone to pass out sheets of paper and another monster to set the palettes of paint out onto the tables. Is anyone willing to help out?"

No hands raise. It's not like I'm lazy and don't want to help out, but I don't want to bring any more attention to myself than is necessary.

"Well, it looks as if I'll just have to choose some volunteers myself then," Mrs. Jones says, scanning the room for two volunteers. I already know before her gaze falls on Fungus and me that I'm doomed. She points at the two of us and says, "Since you two were the last to class, it makes sense that you should be the ones to help out. Mr. Boggs, please pass out a sheet of paper to each student. Please put a palette of paint onto each table, Mr...Fungus, is it?"

"Yes, m-ma'am," Fungus stutters as he gets to his feet along with me. A mutter of amusement runs through the room at Fungus' name. I glare at the other students as I stalk through the aisle to the front of the classroom to fetch the paper. How would those students feel if they were the ones getting picked on?

I'm still feeling a little miffed as I start passing out paper to all of the students. In fact, I'm so distracted that I forget to pay attention to Wazowski. I absentmindedly dump a piece of paper onto his desk and don't notice the foot that he sticks out in the aisle in front of me. Stupid me trips right over his foot. The remaining papers in my arms go fluttering all across the room and my glasses fly off of my nose. I manage to save them, but can't save myself from falling. Thud. I land right at Wazowski's feet. God, he has ugly feet with big toes and long toenails that stink.

Smiling gleefully, the green cyclops says, "I don't know if anyone told you this before, Randall, but tripping on the scare floor is a sure way to get kicked out of the scare program."

My cheeks flare and all I can hear for a moment is the sound of chuckling either coming from Wazowski or from other bystanders. I shoot the lime green cyclops a glare and mutter, "You wish, Wazowski, you wish."

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_Review please! :)_


	14. Chapter XIII

**honorstudent97: No problem! I always respond to comments! It's the least that I can do for my reviewers. :) Glad you're excited about the smut in this story, haha. I always think of Randall as the love lizard for some reason, lol. Oh, you like Sulley? What's your favorite thing about him? I like Sulley, but I've gotta say that I'm a Randall girl. xD  
**

**randompotpourri: Wow, thank you! That's such a nice compliment! I hope that you continue to like the story. No problem about being late - I'm just super glad that you're reading this. Thanks again!**

**Nymris: Thank you so much! It's great to get a review from a new reader. Have you caught up on all of the chapters? Nah, the door wasn't jammed. I was just trying to show how much stronger Sulley is than Randall since that will be important for later. Hope you keep reading!**

**xBearingSecretsx: I'm glad that you like what I'm doing with Fungus! :D He actually ends up having a pretty big role in this story! Yay, I'm not the only one who missed him in MU! I kept wondering where Celia was too. I thought that she was supposed to be in the film, but I guess not. Omg, Randall and the cupcakes was so cute/dorky/adorable! Um...well, I'm a big Chet fan, so I loved that, "Johnny, you're my hero!" moment and the whole "This guy hates charity!" deal. I guess for scenes, I liked cutie kappa the most. Hm...I know what you mean. What scenes are people arguing over? Ugh, people who hack accounts like that annoy me so much. -_- I don't think the link worked for some reason. I couldn't watch it. :(  
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**a fan: I'm glad that you like the way I added Fungus into the story! :D He has a pretty main role in this actually. I'm sad that he isn't in Monsters University. I would've liked to see him in it. How about you? Thanks so much for the review!  
**

**I-Like-Sulley: That part with Art was really funny! I wonder what he went to jail for the first time, you know? xD So do you like Art more than Sulley now? I've gotta admit that I'd like a big hug from both of them. They're both so soft and cuddly looking.  
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**sBus: Oh god, I'm so sorry for not responding to your last comment! I must've missed it when I updated. Anyway, thanks a ton for reading this story! I'm glad that you're liking it so far. :) Yeah, I started writing this way back in March, so you can definitely call it an AU fic. I do overdo Mike, but I wanted an antagonist in the story, so that's where that came from. Are you a Randall fan or...? And aw, okay. I love reviews even if it's just a quick "nice chapter" or something, but you don't have to review if you don't want to. :P  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I'm very glad that you liked the last chapter and the last line! I felt like it was a Randall thing to say, haha. It's great to meet another Randall fan! *high fives you* Have you seen Monsters University yet? :3**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: Lol, oops! I guess that's why you kept wondering why you were missing the chapters. Now we know why. :P Thanks for re-favoriting the story! Omg, same, I hate feet, especially Mike's feet because he has nasty feet! *shudders* Mike, keep your feet far away from us! But anyway, yeah, Mike's not scarer material! I love the bit in the movie where Chet's all, "Aw, sorry, squirt, guess you just aren't cut out to be scarer material!" But anyway, Funk's innocence is cute, isn't it? I made him more of a main character in this. Well...I update daily if I get more than five reviews, but if I don't, I wait another day or two. God, I sound like a review whore, but that's how my updating system works. *hides* Thanks for reading! :D**

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**Chapter XIII  
**

Laughter still ringing in my ears, I slam my purple-rimmed glasses back onto my nose and stand back up as swiftly as I can, still glaring daggers at Wazowski. He seemed like he was in a foul mood earlier, but my fall has put him in a good mood now. He's grinning in my face, clearly delighting in my misfortune. Deciding to make it look like he's not getting to me even though he obviously he, I toss my head and smooth the frond that's falling in my face back from my forehead. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I begin to gather up the scattered papers that have somehow managed to get all over the room. For the time being, I keep my eyes glued on the floor, certain that I'll see smirks on every face if I dare to look up.

Once I have all of the papers back in my arms, I resume distributing the papers to the rest of the students. I do my best not to meet any pairs of eyes as I place pieces of paper on each desk. Although all of the laughter has died down now, but I can still hear it pounding in the front of my skull. I sense another headache coming on full force. I need to relax myself before this happens or else I won't be able to concentrate on any of my classes for the rest of the day. What I need to do is take deep breathes. In, out, in, out...

"Hey, thanks," a voice snaps me out of my trance as I place four sheets of paper on the last table.

Surprised that anyone would actually bother to thank me, I flick my eyes upward to see who the monster to thank me for the paper is. I come to an abrupt halt when I find none other than Sullivan attempting to give me a smile. Returning his smile with a hard look, I don't say anything for a moment. Is this some sort of joke? No doubt Sullivan is just like the rest of the class and is inwardly grinning at my stumble from earlier. Maybe not though. His facial expression seems genuine enough.

Just in case it is a trick, I give Sullivan a short, curt nod before elegantly sweeping around his table and returning to my desk where Fungus has been sitting for a good five minutes now. Out of everyone in the classroom, he is the only one who is looking at me with sympathy. As I retake my seat, I realize something for the first time. Sullivan, Wazowski, Art, Scott, and the other monsters who got rejected from the scare program are not the real rejects. The two cast offs in this place are Fungus and myself. We're both considered nerdy (because of our glasses, I assume), we both stand out because of stuttering or want of privacy, and we both take our studies seriously unlike many of the students here.

"Are you alright?" Fungus asks, leaning over to my desk. His three dark brown, almost black eyes are rimmed in compassion as he goes on, "I s-saw you fall."

"_Everyone_ saw that, Funk," I point out dryly, noticing that I've been folding and unfolding the piece of paper I'm supposed to be painting on. Forcing myself to stop mutilating the paper, I reply succinctly, "I'm fine. No thanks to Wazowski though. He'll get what he deserves one of these days."

Fungus nods in agreement and picks up a paintbrush and starts painting his paper a bright sunny yellow color with light brushstrokes. I haven't even considered what I want to attempt to paint yet, so I just stare at my paper, try to repress my oncoming headache, and send the thought of painting Wazowski in some sort of gruesome predicament out of my head. I'm still not sure what to paint when the orange and yellow striped monster on my right decides to break my concentration.

"Hello there," he says in a friendly voice, smile still on his face as he paints polka dots on his piece of paper. "I don't think that I've met you before. I'm George Sanderson and this here is my friend, Bile." George nods to the slimy bluish-purple monster to his right before asking me curiously, "What's your name?"

"Randy Boggs," I reply an almost automatic response. I'm getting used to reciting my name at this point. Taking a glance at George's and Bile's sloppy paintings, I infer, "You guys training to become scarers too?"

"We sure are!" George says cheerfully, painting a few more random sized polka dots of a different color onto his paper. "This is Bile's second year here and this is my first. We were both lucky enough to make it into the scare program. How about you? Are you part of the scare program too?"

"Yeah," I nod, realizing that I need to start painting something even if it's just an abstract doodle so I can have something to show at the end of class other than a blank piece of paper. Grabbing a paintbrush, I dip it into whatever color happens to be closest to me and raise an eyebrow, asking, "Are you two roomies?"

"Uh huh," Bile speaks for the first time, looking over George's shoulder to talk to me. "We've been best friends since we were ten years old. My real name is Phlegm by the way."

I can't find anything to say to that, so I return to my paper, which isn't looking so good just now. Purple splotches and blobs are all over the place. Even my abstract art looks like a mess up. Wondering if my fellow reject is doing any better than me, I glance inconspicuously to my left to see how Fungus is progressing. Unlike me, Fungus is actually painting something. It looks a lot like a turquoise blue sky with fluffy white clouds floating along in the breeze. A bright yellow sun gives the picture a cheerful look to it. Fungus may not be the brightest, but he's not a bad painter.

"What do you think I should do with this, Funk?" I sigh, rubbing my forehead with the back of my hand as I look down at my paint disaster.

"Hm," Fungus murmurs, immediately looking up from his own masterpiece to observe my work. He taps his chin and looks thoughtful before suggesting, "W-well, you could paint a c-collage. Just add a lot of other bright colors to your painting. It will look like abstract art."

Deciding to take Fungus' advice since I've been starting to think that my art is beyond the point of no return, I start dipping my paint brush into random colors and create abstract designs with them on my piece of paper. Starting to think that art class is a waste of time, I decide to multi-task and whisper to Fungus in a lower tone of voice since Professor Jones is walking around the room to make sure that everyone is working, "What's your next class? I've got one on scaring."

"That sounds exciting," Fungus says in a voice that doesn't allow me to tell if he's being serious or not. It's hard to know with the little speckled monster. Wrinkling his forehead, Fungus thinks for a moment before saying, "I might have a c-composition and literature class."

"Composition and literature, eh?" I ask, finding this interesting although not exactly appealing. "That's like reading and writing, isn't it?"

Fungus nods and snaps his mouth shut as Professor Jones walks by our table. She pauses and hovers over it, casting long, dark shadows upon the four of us as she glances at our artwork. The Professor looks impressed with Fungus' work, but frowns when she sees Bile's and George's work. When her gaze comes to rest on my abstract design, he lips curve downward into a visible frown. Looking mainly at me since she approves of Fungus' work, the Professor says, "A little less talk and a little more concentration here please."

Even though I'm starting to think that art is a complete waste of time for a scarer like myself, I don't want to cause a scene unlike a certain loudmouth to my right, and so I keep quiet for the rest of class. By the time class has ended, Fungus has painted a relatively good picture of the sky, George has filled his paper with polka dots, Bile has his covered his with orange and yellow stripes, and my painting is just a mix of abstract colors and designs. As much as I don't want to admit it, my work is the worst at our table.

Clearing her throat to get our attention, Professor Jones says, "I would like for all of you to leave your paintings right here on the table to dry. You will be able to collect them next week. You're all dismissed. In general, this class will not have homework. I want to keep art fun."

An excited rumble reverberates around the room as monsters stretch, gather up their school supplies, and start toward the door. Professor Jones sits down at her desk and starts going through paperwork. Not wanting to have to push and shove my way out of class, I remain sitting for a few minutes to let the others step out of the classroom first. Still perched on the edge of my chair, I notice Sullivan's blue and purple form as he makes his way through the aisles between the tables with Don and Scott following after him. My thoughts return to earlier and I can't help but wonder if Sullivan was genuinely trying to be nice to me when he thanked me for the paper.

"Alright, Georgie, let's get going! We've got a scaring class to get to!" Bile tells his friend as he oozes to his feet. The texture of Bile's skin is like that of a snail just without its shell.

I watch the two best friends step out of the classroom and then turn to my left only to find that Fungus is already gone. Great. It looks like I'm all alone here. Scott has clearly made Sullivan his new idol. I doubt that our friendship if it even was that will last long now. Sullivan, despite having been rejected from the scare program, is popular. Everyone likes him. There is always a monster calling out a greeting to him in the hallway or giving him a high five or a smile at the lunch table. I don't want to be popular. That's never been my goal in life. Still, I don't want to be the odd one out either. I just want to do what I do best; blend into the background and pass smoothly through my year at Monsters University and graduate as the top scarer of the year.

Getting to my feet, I scoop my school supplies into my arms and adjust them so that they won't fall over and cause another mess before starting toward the mostly empty art classroom door. Suddenly, before I can even see what's going on, a green monster a head shorter than me brushes against my side, coating me in thick, red paint. Jerking my head to my right, I see Wazowski dropping a paint brush still covered in red paint back onto the table nearest me.

"It was on the floor," he explains to me, grinning mischievously before my anger kicks in full force. "I was only putting it back where it came from."

My nose wrinkles in disgust as sticky red paint oozes down my side. I know full well that the paint brush was _not _on the floor. Wazowski no doubt intentionally dipped it into the red paint and purposefully got paint all over my scales. There are some things I can't stand and being dirty is one of them. I want to wash off, but I don't know where the nearest bathroom is and I know that I need to hurry if I want to get to my next class on time.

Noticing that the green eyeball is escaping the room, I narrow my eyes and slink out of the door after him, snapping, "WAZOWSKI!"

The cyclops looks over his shoulder at me and starts running down the hallway. Unable to depart from the chase, I narrow my gaze and focus slitted eyes on my quarry. Since running through the hallways is a big no-no at a school, I take to slinking around the crowd of monsters going to and fro class while keeping a constant eye on the one-eyed cretin. Unfortunately, just as I'm starting to catch up to Wazowski, the door right in front of me opens, forcing me to come to a halt. I curse under my breath as Professor Knight steps out into the hallway.

"Ah, Mr. Boggs!" Professor Knight exclaims, coming to a halt in front of me and unintentionally letting Wazowski get away from me. "Are you having a nice afternoon?"

No, not now that Wazowski has just escaped, but I obviously can't tell Professor Knight that. I plaster a sharp-toothed smile onto my face and nod before deciding to take advantage of this situation, saying, "I was just on my way to my first scaring class. Know where that might be?"

"Of course I do, my boy! It's the second classroom to your right on the third floor," Professor Knight informs me before adding, "I'm looking forward to seeing your homework from chapter one next week. It looks like you're going to be one of the best students I've had in a very long time."

I don't mean to brag, but the words are already out of my mouth as I say, "I almost finished the homework already. I worked on the problems during lunch."

"Did you now? Well, well, I see that I am right to expect a lot from you!" Professor Knight enthuses, clearly impressed. "I suppose that I shouldn't keep you from your next class. Carry on! If you're half as good of a scarer as you are at arithmetic, you'll have no trouble at all."

I give Professor Knight another fake, toothy smile before weaving my way back to the elevator Fungus showed me earlier. It's gonna be a big time savor. As I press the bright red button outside of the elevator door, I hope that Professor Knight is right and that scaring will come as naturally to me as arithmetic does. If not, then I'll just have to study and practice harder for it.

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_Review please! :) Also, I have a Monsters University story that I'm writing about Chet and Johnny...would anyone be interested in reading it? I'm trying to decide whether or not to post it. It's a little on the "dark" side because I give Chet a tragic backstory, but opinions would be nice! :D  
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	15. Chapter XIV

**honorstudent97: I love that about Sulley as well. :) He's very kind and caring to everyone - even supposedly toxic children! xD I forgot if I've asked you this yet, but have you seen MU? I thought that Sulley acted very different in it.  
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**Nymris: You are very welcome for the quick updates! Thank you for such kind reviews! I'm glad that you're having fun reading this story. So you're a Randall fangirl then, huh? Awesome! *high fives you* Is he your favorite character in the movie? I like MI Randall, but I have to admit that I'm a Chet and Johnny girl now. Thanks for the compliment about writing in present tense. For some reason, I find it easier than writing in past tense. That's great to hear that you'd read my other story. I'll post it tomorrow since I'm feeling sick tonight. ^^  
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**xBearingSecretsx: *raises hand* I'll volunteer to smack Mike around for a bit, lol. I'm glad that you like George and Bile! I think that they make good friends, you know? :) I love the part where Fungus scares Randall in the bathroom too. Randall looks like he's going to faint from the shock, you know? :P I agree about Celia, I guess, but I do prefer her over the PNKs from the new movie. Yay, you like Chet too! *high fives you* He's such a cutie, well, a snarky cutie, that is! I had no idea that he was going to be so snarky from what I saw of him in the trailers. Aw, you don't like Johnny? I actually love him. Crazy confession on my part. *hides under my desk* But anyway, I really hate the Randall fandom sometimes because of arguments like this. I don't take part in them because that's pointless. You'll never make everyone happy. About Randall getting kicked out of ROR, well, I honestly don't blame Johnny for being pissed. He had high expectations to live up to because of his father and family history and Randall totally blew that for him. I wonder...if maybe I could change your opinion on Johnny if you read my story about him and Chet. You don't have to, of course, but I'm curious. :P And oh! *smacks face* No wonder it didn't work! I'll try the youtube thing now. :D  
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**a fan: I feel the same way about Fungus in MU. I definitely feel like he should have gotten a role in it, but at least he has a role in this story, right? :) Oh, I just noticed that today is Wednesday! Did you happen to have a chance to see MU? I sure hope so! Oh god, I have that same thing with art all of the time. There are so many things that I would really like to draw, but I'm just not talented enough to draw them sadly. I'm glad you're interested in the story about Johnny and Chet! I'll post it tomorrow! Thank you!  
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**I-Like-Sulley: I think that it would be very easy to fall asleep on Art or Sulley! They look so cuddly, you know? I want to know what their fur feels like. Honestly, I'd like to hug Johnny the most, but I'm a weirdo. :P Thanks for liking the way I'm hinting at Randy's and Sulley's future relationship! Randy might not be thinking about Sulley now, but he will in his next art class. *winks* Thanks for reading!  
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**Mysterious: Aw, thank you very much! I'm glad that this story was able to put a smile on your face. :) Are you a fan of the RandallxSulley pairing then? I'm sorry about getting banned. *hugs you* That's happened to me before. Haha, yeah, I guess you could say that this story is the opposite of the movie in a way. Randy seemed OOC in the movie to me though, so I hope he's acting more Randall-like in this. I hope you keep reading!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I've also seen Monsters University! I'm glad that you had a chance to see it as well! What did you think of it if you don't mind my asking? Thank you so much about saying that you'll read my story about Chet and Johnny! I'm going to post it tomorrow. :D Do you like those two?  
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**Chapter XIV  
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As I step into the elevator, hit the button for the third floor, and watch the steel door slide shut behind me, I get to enjoy a few rare moments of peace and quiet. I was left home alone an awful lot when I was living at home with my mother. Now, it seems as if someone is always in the room with me. I don't even get my own bedroom. Sighing, I rub my forehead and find that the aching at the forefront of my head is still lingering there, not quite becoming a headache but not completely going away either. My temper has cooled and although the stickiness of half-dried paint on my side is irritating me, I decide that pursuing Wazowski would have been a foolish move on my part. I'll let him get expelled on his own. I'm not gonna get expelled with him by picking a fight. That one-eyed cretin will get what's coming to him sooner or later. It's only our first day at the school and already the eyeball has gotten rejected from the scare program and has managed to tick off a number of students including Sullivan and myself. It's only a matter of time before the loudmouthed cyclops is sent packing.

Reassuring myself with thoughts of Wazowski's future expulsion, I manage to completely calm myself down by the time I reach the third floor. My temper comes and goes, rising and falling much like a roller coaster that's out of control. Now that I've decided not to worry about Wazowski, I find that the throbbing in my head has receded and that I'm able to actually look forward to my first scaring class. I think that this is the one where we actually get to practice scaring. The other scaring class, although essential to graduate, is a bit duller. We learn about the history of scaring in that class.

It only takes me a few quick steps to reach the room Professor Knight directed me to. Creaking open the door to the room, I find that it's almost completely empty still. A satisfied smile flickers across my lips as I realize that I've managed to beat Wazowski, George, Bile, and even Sullivan and his gang here by using my little shortcut. Well, alright, so it's Fungus' shortcut, not mine, but that's besides the point.

Letting the door to the room fall shut behind me, I realize that this is not like the other classrooms I've been to so far. This room is much larger than the others. In fact, I would estimate that it is about five times the size of the smaller arithmetic classroom. There are no desks in the room, but there are rows of chairs lined up next to each other. On the opposite side of the room is a tall stage with heavy burgundy curtains pulled in front of it, baring whatever is hiding behind the curtains from view. A strange screen with flashing numbers is on the wall to my left. The numbers are neon green and their meanings unknown to me for the moment. Feeling a bit awed, I slow my steps and cautiously take a seat at the front of the classroom.

My classmates begin pouring into the classroom soon after I've chosen my seat. Like me, they gaze around themselves with wide eyes, clearly curious about the peculiar classroom. Even Wazowski, who happens to be chattering away to a bored looking snail-like monster falls silent for a moment to take in his surroundings. Heavy footsteps sound from behind me. I'm a little more than surprised when someone takes the chair directly to my right. There are a lot of other unoccupied chairs in the room. Why would someone actually choose to sit next to me?

Without actually turning my head, I glance to my right to find out the identity of the student sitting next to me. Noting turquoise blue fur splotched with purple polka dots, I conclude that this is none other than James P. Sullivan. My stomach flips over and I'm suddenly suspicious. There's something odd about Sullivan. I know that he's been watching me and I also know that he's going out of his way to be nice to me. The only question I have for him right now is_ why_. Of course, I'm too shy to ask him that and his gang of noisy friends have sat down on his other side and are chatting away about god -knows-what. Probably things not related to scaring or the university, the only things I happen to be interested in.

As we wait for class to begin, I feel Sullivan's blue gaze turn on me for just a moment. I quickly busy myself with trying to pick the dried red paint off of my scales. It has dried an ugly dark crimson color against my lavender scales and looks like blood. My face contorts as I realize that I'm making no progress chipping the paint off of my body. It remains obstinately stuck to my scales.

Apparently realizing that he is going to have to be the first to talk if he wants to chat, Sullivan initiates a conversation with me and says in an amiable voice, "Hello."

My head jerks up as if I was waiting for Sullivan to speak this whole time. Remembering the way he was the only one to thank me for handing out the pieces of paper in art and still not sure if he was trying to mock me or not, I keep my face guarded and eyes cold as I state, "Hello."

An awkward silence falls between us. I turn my head away from Sullivan and stare resolutely at nothing in particular in front of me. Sullivan licks his lips and says, "This is an cool room, isn't it? I haven't seen anything like it before. Of course, I've only been to two classes so far, so I guess that could be the reason for it."

Realizing that Sullivan is just making up stupid babble because he doesn't know how to talk to me, I decide to cut to the point and ask sharply, "What do you want?"

My sharp tone and cutting words should be enough to warn Sullivan to stay away from me, but he doesn't look hurt by my snappiness. Instead, he shrugs and says, "Nothing."

Sullivan starts to turn to his right to chat with his other friends, one of whom is Scott who doesn't even acknowledge me anymore, probably because it seems as if he's best buds with Don now. I can't blame him for that; the two monsters get along real well. However, now I find that I'm the one unable to let this conversation with Sullivan go. I reach out impulsively and grab Sullivan's wrist, making contact with him for the first time. His fur is softer than I imagined it to be, a drastic contrast to my lavender scales.

When Sullivan turns back to me with a quizzical expression on his face, I make no attempt to hide my true feelings as I turn on the full force of my glittering emerald eyes, stating, "You obviously want something. You've been watching me. I'm not stupid, I see it. You also thanked me earlier at art class when everyone else laughed at me when I fell. Were you mocking me too?"

Sullivan immediately shakes his head and looks at the floor as he replies, "I didn't know that you fell. You okay?"

My eyes turn into slits as I lower my voice and hiss, "Don't play dumb with me, Sullivan. You saw me fall; everyone did. You gonna tell me why you're being nice to me or not?"

A long silence forms between me and the bright blue monster sitting next to me. I can't help but wonder what's going on in Sullivan's head. He seems to have a hard time knowing what to say to me, and really, I can't blame him for that. I'm not easy to talk to. My extreme paranoia makes me touchy and on edge almost constantly. Wazowski's harassment along with rooming with one-eyed Doom is not helping my situation any. I'm starting to think that Sullivan is either going to ignore me at this point or has forgotten my question, but finally, he answers.

"I thought that you might want a friend," Sullivan says finally, his sentence simple enough and straight to the point. Like me, he doesn't talk much or use fancy vocabulary.

"Hm," I muse, not giving my opinion on the subject to him one way or the other since Dean Hardscrabble has just entered the room and is swiftly making her way atop the stage with the burgundy curtains. Despite the fact that our conversation is over for now, I find myself still thinking about Sullivan's words. It seems strange to me that someone might actually look at me and think that I'm worth befriending. After all, I'm the opposite of most students here. I don't like partying, gossiping (unless it has to do with Wazowski), and idle chat. Still, Sullivan seemed like he was being honest with me while we were talking. I don't think that there are any ulterior motives behind him deciding to act friendly toward me. Maybe he's not so bad after all. Maybe I should give him a chance. Yeah, he's in a completely different league than the one Fungus and I are in, but that shouldn't stop us from talking on the rare occasion.

Dean Hardscrabble cuts into my thoughts as she murmurs, "Welcome to your very first class on scaring. This is going to be the most important class any of you take this year. After all, in this class, you will get real practice on how to scare in the human world."

"You mean that we're actually going to get to scare real kids?!" an excited voice exclaims from somewhere behind me. I identify the voice as Wazowski's and hope that he will get into trouble for speaking out of terms. After all, everyone knows that you're supposed to raise your hand before talking when the headmistress is speaking.

"Not exactly, but you will get real experience. Let me show you what I mean," Dean Hardscrabble says as she takes the edge of the burgundy curtain and slowly pulls it back.

All eyes are glued to the front of the room as each student leans forward to see what's been concealed behind the curtain. What appears to be a child's bedroom complete with toys on the floor, a bed in the corner of the room, and a sleeping little girl tucked underneath the sheets is on one side of the stage. On the other side of the stage is a door that leads to the child's bedroom along with a few extra feet or so of space. Confused expressions cross faces. Nobody knows what this bedroom-like stage is for.

"This is a simulator. The 'child' in the bed is programmed to react to scarers just like a real child would," Dean Hardscrabble explains to us. "By entering this simulator, you will be able to test out your scaring skills and experiment with different scaring techniques. This is what I meant earlier when I said that you will be able to get real experience in this class."

A murmur of excitement rises up in the classroom. Even I have to admit that I'm itching to try out the scare simulator. I'm so caught up in the Dean's words that I even manage to forget about Wazowski, the paint, and the odd conversation I just had with Sullivan.

"I would like to take this moment to remind you all that scaring is not just a talent. It is something that you must all work hard at to perfect your technique and your scores. Each time you perform a scare, the simulator will judge your work and the way the child responds to your actions. Taking these factors into account, the simulator will run some calculations and then post your score on the board to your left with the green numbers lit up on it. The lowest score you can get is a zero and the highest score you can get is a ten," Dean Hardscrabble explains.

A voice from the back of the classroom starts to say something, but then immediately comes to a stop. Looking over my shoulder, I notice that Wazowski has remembered his manners this time and is straining in his chair with his hand waving violently back and forth in the air.

"Do you have something that you'd like to say, Mr. Wazowski?" the Dean asks the fidgety cyclops before he can go insane from his repressed question.

"Can we try out the scare simulator today?" Wazowski asks excitedly, practically bobbing up and down in his chair from excitement. Even though I know that the lime green cyclops has to be close to my age, he reminds me of a little kid around the age of ten or so. His maturity is certain that of a ten year old.

"As a matter of fact, yes, you will be able to try out the scaring simulator today. I think that this will be a good thing for you before we start working on technique and skill. You can use your score today as a baseline and watch yourself hopefully improve over the course of the year," the Dean explains to us. More excited whispers ripple through the room as students turn to their neighbors and grin to one another with glee. I keep my eyes forward, trying to concentrate and breathe deeply.

"Please step forward when I call your name," Dean Hardscrabble tells us. "Mr. Sanderson?"

I recognize the name but fail to match it to a face until I see George's bright orange and yellow figure hurrying up to the stage. His dark brown eyes gleam excitedly as the lights in the room dim, creating a very real nighttime-like atmosphere. Shifting from foot to foot in anticipation, George joins the Dean on the stage and waits for her next command. He looks as if he's holding his breath, and honestly, I think that the entire classroom is holding their breath along with George. At least, everyone next to me is on the edge of their seats waiting to see how the first scare attempt will go.

"I will not be critiquing you today. Simply enter the bedroom and scare the child in the way that you think will be most effective for you," Dean Hardscrabble tells George before giving him a simple nod and pointing toward the door, saying, "Go ahead."

I hear someone randomly call out, "Good luck, Georgie!"

"Thanks, Bile!" George calls back, waving to his friend in the crowd and managing to destroy the intensity of the situation before he starts tiptoeing toward the child's bedroom door. I could be wrong, but I have a gut feeling that something is not going to go right for George.

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_Review please! :)  
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	16. Chapter XV

**honorstudent97: I'm glad that you had the chance to see Monsters University! I really ended up loving it although I agree, Mike and Sulley both started out as arrogant know-it-alls at the beginning. xD Do you have a favorite part of the movie?  
**

**Energy Witch: That's a really good point! Even though Mike and Sulley didn't achieve what they were originally after, they did learn important life lessons and ended up friends for life. Poor Randy didn't get any of that. He's kind of a victim of circumstance, you know? Thank you so much for reading! **

**Nymris: I'm glad to hear that you're liking the development between Randall and Sulley! They actually get to talk a bit in this chapter. Omg, same here, I've always loved villains the most too! Out of curiosity, who would you consider to be the "villain" in Monsters University? Some people are saying that it's Dean Hardscrabble, but I don't know, I liked her. xD Thanks for the review!  
**

**Ariddle-Ascare: Thank you! I'll definitely continue updating! :D Are you a Randall fan?**

**xBearingSecretsx: I'm so sorry about the cliffhanger! Here's your update! I hope it's a good one. :D Omg, I always laughed at Bile during his mess up in the scare simulator. I love his unsure line about the opened door, "...It could let in a draft?" Oh, I remember that line from the PNKs! That was pretty funny, I agree. Do you have a favorite sorority? I really like the girls from HSS. Nancy Kim and Sonia Lewis are my favorites. I actually roleplay as Nancy on Tumblr. :) I'm glad that you like Chet too - he's such a cutie. I know three insane Randall fans from Tumblr and deviantart, and believe me, it's best not to fight with them unless you have to. People who go attacking other people's beliefs have no life imo. But anyway, I felt so bad for Reggie when he got that bad score against Don after he stepped on the squeaky toy. Poor guy. I think that Johnny was so disappointed in Randall because he not only scored badly, but he made ROR look like an embarrassment. Uh oh, psychopathic Johnny fics don't sound good, haha. Hopefully, mine will be a little better than that. :P  
**

** XxSgt KululuxX: Aw, thank you so much for the kind words! I'm so glad that you get excited for my updates! :D Hehe, I always think of Sulley as a big furry polka-dotted teddy bear! Is Sulley your favorite character then? I hope you like this next chapter. **

**a fan: Aw man, I am so sorry that you were unable to see MU on Wednesday! *hugs you* Life is full of such awful disappointments. I really hope that you're able to see it sometime in the near future! I actually just posted my new story, but I'm afraid that it sucks and I'm thinking about deleting it. *hides under my desk* You'll get to see how the scare simulator routines go in this chapter! I hope you like it!  
**

**Wolfy McBubblehorn: Aw, well, I hope it doesn't although I will admit that this story is going to be a tragedy. Thank you for the compliment though! I hope that you're enjoying the story so far. Are you a fan of Monsters Inc.? :)**

**I-Like-Sulley: Yay for foreshadowing! I take it that you liked that part then? :) Omg, yes, I did notice that about Mike! I thought that it was odd how he went from always-forgetting-to-turn-in-his-paperwork Mike from MI to an A plus student in MU. Same thoughts about Sulley's character. I guess that they had a lot of growing to do, you know? Thanks for reading!  
**

**Mysterious: I really hope that you get a chance to watch the film! It's one of my absolute favorites. I'm glad to hear that you like the SulleyxRandall pairing though! Can I ask who your favorite character is? I hope that you like this chapter!  
**

**BloodRedRoses04: I absolutely loved MU! In fact, I think I might have liked it better than MI! How about you? And yay, another Johnny and Chet fan! *high fives you* I still can't get over how cute that, "Johnny, you're my hero!" line was. xD  
**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: Omg, you're going to see MU tomorrow?! *flails arms around like an obsessed fanatic* That is AWESOME! You'll have to let me know what you think about the movie! I'd love it if you took a look at my new story although it's kinda dark, almost to the point where it covers some sick concepts, so yeah...=/ Then again, you know how I write after reading Amber Eyes, lol. Well, I guess Mike isn't quite this bad in the movie. I just don't like him that much, so I sorta of overemphasized his flaws, you know? :P Sometimes I do that with characters I don't like so much. Do you ever do that? Hehe, I'm pretty sure that maturer is a word. OMG! Never ever make me give Mike a foot massage! *shudders* I'm going to have nightmares about that now. :P I'll wake up screaming and my mom will be all like, "What was that all about?" and all be like, "I dreamed of giving Mike a foot massage!" Lol, anyway, Chet has lot of cute lines in MU. He's my new favorite character, I think. Oh god, I guess we're the exact same with reviews! I've been known to check for reviews five times in one minute. Talk about obsessed. :P Thanks so much for reading this!**

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**Chapter XV  
**

George continues tiptoeing toward the bedroom door as if the sleeping child might actually be able to hear him. Wishing that George would just get on with it already, I lean forward and watch closely as he takes hold of the doorknob in front of him and slowly eases it open. The door opens silently without a single creak. Looking pleased with himself so far, George's normal grin widens and he glances out toward his fellow students, probably looking for encouragement. I notice Bile giving George a thumbs up and resist rolling my eyes. If everyone here scares as slowly as George does, we're gonna be here for the next week...or two.

Finally, George creeps inside the room, still being extremely cautious not to make any noise. The child tucked in the bed is sound asleep and is not at all aware of George's presence. The big yellow and orange monster makes his way to the side of the bed and then reaches down a hand to pull the sheet back from around the sleeping figure's body. Everyone pauses, breaths held as George makes one of the worst mistakes that any monster can possibly make while scaring. Sure enough, a red light from the ceiling starts blinking as George makes contact with the sheet on the bed.  
_  
Simulation terminated, simulation terminated, simulation terminated...  
_  
This repeated phrase comes from somewhere over our heads. George has frozen in place and doesn't look like he's going to be moving anytime soon. Dean Hardscrabble represses a sigh and motions a little impatiently in George's direction, saying, "Please step out of the simulator and return to your seat, Mr. Sanderson." Even at the Dean's words, George remains stupefied. The Dean gives him a somewhat impatient look and glances swiftly at the clock hanging over the door to the classroom, urging the paralyzed student, "Mr. Sanderson?"

George finally jerks out of his temporary state of shock and quickly scuttles out of the simulator and shuffles down the stairs that lead to the stage. Head hung in shame, he retreats to his chair next to Bile and slumps down in it while his friend pats his shoulder sympathetically and sends him a compassionate look.

"It appears as if I am going to have to go over some of the most basic rules of scaring," Dean Hardscrabble says, not sounding particularly happy about this. "Who can tell me what Mr. Sanderson's mistake was?"

I don't usually raise my hand in classroom settings for obvious reason. After all, raising your hand and answering questions draws attention to yourself. I hate attention. In fact, I utterly despise it. However, something strange suddenly surges through my veins and I find my hand in the air. I'm surprised by my impetuosity and can hardly believe that I'm volunteered to answer a question out of my own free will. It must have something to do with the fact that I want to impress Dean Hardscrabble since I hope to be named the university's top scarer at the end of the year. Then again, it could also have to do with the fact that Sullivan is still sitting next to me and I feel like showing off in front of him for reasons I haven't even figured out yet.

The Dean's eyes flick over the rows of students sitting in front of the simulator before they focus in on me. Smiling slightly, she nods in my direction and says, "Mr. Boggs?"

All pairs of eyes turn toward me, but I am only aware of one pair of light blue eyes glinting curiously at me from my right. Looking at the headmistress instead of at Sullivan, I reply in a matter-of-fact voice, "Mr. Sanderson broke one of the three basic rules of scaring; you must never touch an item belonging to a child. It could be toxic."

"Very good, Mr. Boggs," Dean Hardscrabble says approvingly. I smile slightly at her praise, but find myself looking to my right to see if Sullivan is impressed. If he is, he keeps his feelings to himself and returns his eyes to the Dean. Slightly disappointed in his lack of reaction to my knowledge, I turn my eyes back to the headmistress as well as she goes on, "Never ever touch anything in a child's bedroom. You are only there for the purpose of scaring. If you happen to bring a human artifact back from the human world into the monster world, the CDA will be called and the said item will be exterminated. Who can tell me what the CDA stands for?"

I'm not usually much of a know-it-all, but I find my hand in the air again. However, this time, my hand is not the only hand in the air. A shaggy blue arm is also extended from next to me. I can't help the look of surprise that briefly crosses my features as I realize that Sullivan is raising his hand from next to me.

"Mr. Sullivan?" Dean Hardscrabble asks, eyes focusing in on the furry polka dotted monster sitting next to me.

"The CDA stands for the Child Detective Agency," Sullivan says in a loud, clear voice so that all of the students in the room are sure to hear him. He pauses and then decides to add a comment of his own, saying, "I hear that it's best to avoid contact with the CDA if possible."

"True," the headmistress nods, looking more impressed at Sullivan's answer to this question than at my answer to the previous inquiry. Going on, she continues, "When the CDA is called to Monsters Inc., the entire factory is temporarily shut down until order is restored. It is a waste of precious time and energy."

I already knew all this and find that I am not listening to the Dean's words. Instead, I am glancing over at Sullivan from under my lids. I try not to place too much faith in stereotypes, but I have to admit that I always figured that he would be the "all brawn and no brain" type of monster. I'm clearly wrong about this. Even if he has a hard time knowing what to say to me, Sullivan is intelligent. He knows just as much about scaring as I do. ...Or does he? Only time will tell.

As I'm thinking all of this through, the victim of my thoughts turns to look at me. Sullivan smiles a smile at me that tells me that he's not about to turn down an invitation to join the game of wits I've initiated. An immediate, unspoken rivalry strikes up between the two of us.

"Now that we've covered one of the top three rules of scaring, it's time to take a look at the other two rules," Dean Hardscrabble's voice cuts into my thoughts and drags me back to the present. Sullivan and I both sit up rigidly straight in our chairs and pay careful attention to the Dean's words, both of us prepared to shoot our hands up into the air at any moment. The Dean's next question is, "Who can tell me what the number one rule of scaring is?"

My slender, violet arm stabs upward at the same time that Sullivan raises his shaggy arm. The two of us look at Dean Hardscrabble imploringly, both of us wanting to show off our wit to the other. The Dean looks around the room for a moment before a small trace of amusement crosses her face as she notices both Sullivan and me straining at the edges of our chairs. Deciding to be fair since she chose Sullivan to answer her last question, the headmistress asks, "Do you know the answer, Mr. Boggs?"

I nod curtly, unable to keep from smiling smugly at getting to answer the question as I say, "The number one rule of scaring is never touch a child. They are deadly to our kind." I pause here and then decide to show off a bit more of my knowledge, adding, "I hear that just one single touch from a child can kill a monster."

"Unfortunately, Mr. Boggs is right about this," the Dean says gravely, her face urgent as she repeats, "The work of scarers is dangerous, but it must be done. Avoid touching a child at all costs."

Despite the grimness in the headmistress' voice, I find myself sitting up a bit taller at answering another question correctly. Sullivan actually looks a little impressed this time, which only inflates my sense of pride further. Hoping that the Dean will ask another question, I lean forward and prepare to shoot my hand up into the air for a fourth time.

"There is one more main rule that must never be broken by a scarer," Dean Hardscrabble informs us in her sharp tone of voice. "Can anyone tell me what this rule is?"

Sullivan and I waste no time in thrusting our hands up into the air. We blink at Dean Hardscrabble and try to direct her attention to us. The Dean looks around to see if anyone else in the room knows the answer to her question, but all other hands are placed firmly in laps or on armrests and all the other faces in the room are blank.

"Very well then," the Dean says, the right corner of her mouth lifting ever so slightly as she turns back to Sullivan and me. "Please tell us the third rule, Mr. Sullivan."

I feel my mood deflate slightly, but suppose that it would be unfair for the Dean to ask me to answer three questions and Sullivan to answer only one. Part of me hopes that he won't know the answer to the question as I fix my piercing emerald gaze on the large monster sitting next to me and wait for his answer. Unfortunately, Sullivan knows the answer to the question just as well as I do.

"The third rule is never let a child through one of the activated doors connecting the human world to the monster world," Sullivan explains in his calm, easygoing voice. I note a flash of pearly white teeth as the shaggy monster smiles briefly and adds dryly, "I can only imagine the damage that would do."

"Yes, let us hope that this rule is never broken for the sake of Monstropolis' future," Dean Hardscrabble says gravely. "If a child happened to enter the monster world, it could go on a killing spree, intentionally or unintentionally murdering every monster it touches. This rule has not yet been broken and I expect each and every one of you to abide by it. Your work as a scarer not only will influence your life and the child's life, but also the lives of everyone living in Monstropolis. I hope that you are beginning to understand the complexity and significance of this job."

I only half-listen to the headmistress as she explains the basic rules of scaring further. I've known these rules for years. Anyone who does a little research at the local library knows that the three rules of scaring are the basics. From the looks of things, nobody in the classroom has bothered to do any research save for Sullivan and me. I have to admit that I'm impressed with the great blue lout. I guess that maybe he is something special after all. He has both brawn and brain. He'll make a top scarer, there's no doubt about that.

The headmistress has been saying something else, but I didn't catch her last sentence since I was too busy thinking up ways to best Sullivan to listen to her. Trying to turn my mind back to the situation at hand, I watch the Dean as she glances at the clock hanging on the wall above the door and sighs, "It looks as if our time for today is up. I would have liked to give you all the opportunity to test your abilities via the scare simulator, but it appears as if that is going to have to wait until next week. I don't have any homework for you, but I do want you to memorize the three basic rules of scaring. They are rules that every monster ought to know. You won't be able to graduate unless you can name these three rules off of the top of your head at any given time. You are dismissed."

A loud groan of protest rises up from the students when they realize that they won't get to test the scare simulator until the next class. However, one hard look from Dean Hardscrabble immediately shushes their complaints. Moaning turns into chatter as students get to their feet, gather up their belongings, and start toward the entrance of the classroom. I scoop up my heavy books, notepads, pencils, and erasers in one fluid motion and can't resist glancing out of the corner of my eye to see what Sullivan is doing. I hold a little more respect for him than I did before the class started, that I will admit.

The familiar jelly-like figure of Scott Squibbles has captured Sullivan's attention and is yammering away to him about something at a mile a minute. I purse my lips and remind myself that Sullivan is already one of the popular kids at school. He has more important things to do than talk to a geeky reptilian rival.

Trying to look unfazed, I slink out of my chair and up one of the aisles leading toward the door of the classroom. Everyone is talking loudly at this time of day, probably due to the fact that most classes are over. This scaring class was my last class for the day. The next few hours are mine to spend however I want to spend them. As I step out into the slightly less diluted hallway, I consider my options for the night. I could work a bit more on my arithmetic homework, I could do some extra studying, or I could go to the cafeteria and get some dinner before relaxing for the rest of the night. Oh wait. There's also the matter of that disgusting blob of dried paint now stuck to my scales to consider. Damn Wazowski and his meddlesome behavior.

I'm occupied trying to decide on my evening plans when quick, heavy footsteps capture my attention. Before I can find the source of the footsteps, a large turquoise colored monster falls into step with me and says, "Hey, your knowledge on scaring is pretty impressive."

I don't even have to look up to see Sullivan next to me. Even though I respect him now, I'm not sure if I exactly want to become acquaintances with the shaggy beast so very different from myself. However, since it would be rude not to reply, I glance up at Sullivan and admit, "You're pretty smart yourself."

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_Review please! :) Also, I posted the story about Johnny and Chet that I mentioned from the other day. It's called "Born to Please", and if you're interested, I would love some opinions/reviews on it. Thanks for being so awesome, you guys!  
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	17. Chapter XVI

**honorstudent97: I liked that deep scene between Mike and Sulley too. It was nice to see them finally overcome their differences, don't you think? There will definitely be some deep scenes between Randall and Sulley in my story! My Randall is a blunt, straight-to-the-point Randall who doesn't waste words, haha. Is it just me or did Randy seem out of character in the movie?  
**

**marioandsonicFTW: Thank you so much for the compliment! I'm very glad to hear that you're liking my story so far. It's great to hear that you were able to see MU! Did you have a favorite part in it? I hope you keep reading this story!  
**

**Nymris: Thank you so much! Wow, parts of the chapter actually made you laugh? That's awesome to hear! I've always wanted to be able to make people laugh or smile with my stories. I agree with you; poor George! That must've been embarrassing. Same thoughts here about the villains in the film. There weren't any distinctive villains imo. Thanks for the review!  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Don't worry; you'll definitely get to see Randall have a go at the simulator eventually! He'll get to go up against Sulley in it in a few chapters actually. :D And I know, come on, George, let's use our heads! xD Oh my god, wow, that is such a nice compliment! Thank you! Actually, it's always been my dream to become an author, but I've always doubted my ability to actually get something published, you know? For some reason, I've always had this massive fear of the Noose. :P There's just something about him that puts me on edge. I guess I fell in love with Randall the first time I watched the film. Hey, you should definitely join Tumblr and start up a RPing blog! I know a whole list of awesome MU RPers on there! A lot of the characters are taken, but I'm sure you could find one to RP if you're interested. Yeah, agreeing to disagree is always best. I don't really blame Sulley because he just did what he was supposed to do by roaring loudly. Oh, I see. :P Well...I'm glad that you liked the psychopathic Johnny fic then! xD Gah, I actually want to read it now. What's it called? Thanks so much for reading my other story! I just updated it actually. ^^  
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**a fan: That's a good way to look at it! We've just got to keep on plowing through life and eventually we'll get some lucky breaks! I hope next week is your lucky break. My birthday is on Tuesday, so I'm hoping that it's going to be a good week for both of us. *crosses my fingers* Thanks about the cliff hangers! :D Are cliffies a good thing?  
**

**Wolfy McBubblehorn: Wow, thanks so much! :D It's great to hear that you think this story is exciting. I really hope that you keep enjoying it. :) Have you seen Monsters University yet? D'aww, Boo is such a cute name for a kitty! Thank you for reading this!  
**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: I did get your review actually. :) Didn't I respond to it in the last chapter? I thought that I did. It was the review response where I started blabbing about having nightmares about Mike's nasty feet, lol. But anyway, yes! Randall and Sulley are finally going to talk in this chapter! Let's hope that they get to say more than two words to one another. xD The simulator thing is going to get brought up a lot in this story. Don't ask me why, but I always thought that it would be fun to write about. Btw, have you seen MU yet? :D Thanks for reading!  
**

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**Chapter XVI  
**

Sullivan and I walk side-by-side for a few moments in a curious silence, curious because it isn't exactly awkward and it isn't exactly comfortable either. We've both complimented each other on our scaring knowledge, which is an admittance of the other's talent. I think we're known rivals now. Both of us know that we're gonna have to work hard to best the other when it comes to the scaring floor. Sullivan may not have made it into the headmistress' special scare program, but he certainly has the brains and the scaring skills to help him graduate at the top of the class regardless.

Feeling the silence stretch on for a little too long, I decide to break it by asking a question that I'm genuinely interested in hearing the answer to. "How do you know so much about scaring anyway?"

Sullivan glances down at me, being a good half foot taller than me. The look in his eyes is one that I did not expect to see there. I detect a slight touch of reminiscence and sorrow behind his light blue irises. Finally, he murmurs, "My dad's dad was a scarer and my dad was a scarer too before he got into an accident a few years ago. I guess it runs in the family." Sullivan stops here before noticing the questioning look on my face. He adds shortly, "It was a car accident. I've been living on my own ever since. What about you? You seem pretty up and up when it comes to scaring protocol as well."

I wouldn't normally admit this, but I feel a pang of sympathy for the shaggy blue monster striding along next to me. I would never have guessed that he had lost both his parents. At least I still have my mother even though she's consistently wavering at the brink of insanity. I'd say something about how I'm sorry about what Sullivan had to go through, but I'm not used to saying things like that to strangers and decide to drop the topic of conversation and answer his other question instead.

"There aren't any scarers in my family," I laugh a little harshly. "My father left my mother before I was born. It's just been the two of us since then. Guess I just spent a lot of my free time as a kid in the libraries and places like that. There wasn't much else to do and I never had any friends on my end of the street. It's always been my dream to become a top scarer."

"Sorry about your father," Sullivan apologizes, looking truly sorry for me despite the fact that I'm next to a near stranger to him.

"Eh, you get used to it after eighteen years without one," I smile ruefully, honestly not missing my absent father. The only time he might have been helpful would've been at a time like now when I'm away from home and my mother needs someone to look after her. Suddenly, I realize how ironic it is that Sullivan, the one without any parents, is the monster who happens to be apologizing to me. I raise an eyebrow at him and say, "Hey, what are _you_ talking about? You're the one who's had to live on your own. Hell, at least I still have my mother. What's it like? You know, living on your own?"

"Oh, it's alright in a sense," Sullivan replies, shrugging his broad shoulders. I note that the lighting causes his sleek fur to shine when he leans slightly to his left. Wondering why I'm paying attention to stupid things like that, I shake my head at myself and concentrate only on Sullivan's words as he continues on, "In a way, it's kind of nice. I like the freedom that comes with it. You can do what you want whenever you want and there's nobody ever around to nag at you. Of course, freedom comes with costs though. The place I was living before I came to the university wasn't...uh...all that nice."

From the way the shaggy turquoise monster just phrased his last sentence, I'm left to interpret that his last place was downright awful, probably not much better than a dump. I resist inquiring further on his living situation, figuring that asking more questions would push me over into the category of "nosy".

Suddenly, I feel a whoosh of cold air from next to me as a monster whips by me much too quickly. Surprised, I immediately turn my head to the right to see one-eyed Doom and his friend with the yellowish teeth glaring at me as they make their way down the hallway. I've never intentionally caught Doom's eye before, but now that I have, I feel the tip of a knife prick at my heart as I gaze into his crimson stare. He looks downright angry, there's no doubt about that.

Neither Sullivan or I speak until Doom and the pea green monster with the gaping jaw and uneven yellowish teeth disappear from view. Only then does Sullivan turn to me and say in a low voice, "Gee, I wonder what's wrong with those folk. They don't seem too happy about something or someone."

My extreme paranoia kicks in and I wonder if I am the reason behind Doom's rage. Maybe he didn't like me answering all of Dean Hardscrabble's questions during class. Maybe he considers me a show off now. Shrugging my shoulders, I reply to Sullivan, "Doom is hard to read. Figures that I have to room with him."

"Ouch," Sullivan winces at my words.

"Yeah. You could say that I had hoped for a better roomie. I'd even take Fungus over Doom for example. Sure, he stutters and it takes him about three times as long to finish a sentence than it would take your average monster to finish one, but at least he isn't red-eyed," I point out, finding something slightly unnerving about the shade of Doom's eye.

Sullivan nods understandingly, looking like he wishes that he could help me, but is clearly unsure of what he can do to help in a situation like this. Just as before, silence falls between us. It's not a bad silence, more just like a comfortable silence that falls between two monsters when there isn't anything more for them to say.

As we round the hallway, Sullivan suddenly comes to a halt and points at something on my side, asking, "Hey, are you alright? You're not bleeding, are you?"

"Huh? Bleeding?" I ask, taken completely off guard at Sullivan's question. I look down and follow his gaze, which is focused on the dried bright red paint that is clogging my normally shimmery scales. I wave off Sullivan's concern and keep walking, muttering, "Nah, I'm not bleeding. That's just red paint that got on me courtesy of Wazowski, the one-eyed cretin."

"Ugh, you mean Mike?" Sullivan asks, face immediately contorting in disgust. I nod, throwing him a knowing look. Sullivan scratches his forehead with a hooked shiny black claw and says, "That kid just doesn't know when to stop. I can't believe that he managed to dash both of our opportunities to get into the Dean's scare program. It's about time someone teach that little slime ball a lesson. It was a nightmare rooming with him last night. The kid wouldn't shut up for two seconds."

"Double ouch," I reply, a small smile flicking up the corner of my mouth as I realize that despite our physical differences, Sullivan and I do happen to have one thing in common - our hatred for Wazowski. I think about something odd for a moment and then ask, "Why do all one-eyed monsters have to be creeps? First Wazowski and then one-eyed Doom. Get the picture?"

Sullivan nods as we reach the long, winding staircase, Sullivan taking a step down it and me taking a step up it. Realizing that we're going opposite directions, I hesitate and turn back around to face my new rival/acquaintance. Yeah, I'm going to go as far as to call Sullivan an acquaintance now. Truth is that he's actually sort of nice and he actually seemed to care about my well being while we were chatting. That's not something many other monsters have cared about before.

"You're not going to the cafeteria?" Sullivan asks me, glancing over his shoulder. I follow his gaze and notice that the popular blue monster's group of followers are hurrying along the hallway in an attempt to catch back up with their leader.

Speaking quickly so I don't end up getting run over by the crowd, I shake my head and reply, "Nah, I'm not hungry. I'm just going to concentrate on cleaning this paint off and then I'm gonna finish my arithmetic homework and do some studying before calling it a night. I've got history of Monstropolis first thing tomorrow morning."

"Oh, okay," Sullivan replies. Do I actually detect a note of disappointment in his voice? I'm left wondering about this as Sullivan goes on, "I think that I'm going to grab a little bite to eat and then head to the gym for a bit. I have to work out to cut down on the flab. See you around, I guess."

I look Sullivan up and down and detect an invisible amount flab. The monster standing before me looks like he's all muscle under his glossy fur. Not wanting to get run over by Sullivan's group of followers, I quickly step to the left as they descend down upon him and add, "Yeah. See ya."

Scott Squibbles starts talking to Sullivan the moment he reaches him. I roll my eyes and start up the stairs, glad that I'm not going down to the cafeteria. It's been a long day. Although I've managed to avoid getting a headache so far, listening to the annoying babble of other students for another hour or so could easily be enough to egg one on. When I get headaches, things turn bad. The headaches turn into migraines more often that not, which don't have any sort of cure. All I can do is lay sprawled in bed and wait for them to go away.

I'm halfway up the stairs to the fifth floor when I realize that I could have saved myself a bit of time and could have taken the elevator instead. I suppose that I didn't it take earlier because I was walking with Sullivan. Guess I could go ahead and tell him about the elevator. After all, just one more monster knowing about it isn't going to clog it up. Wait. That's not necessarily true. In general, having one more monster aware of the elevator wouldn't hurt, but Sullivan is a special case. If I tell Sullivan about the elevator, his little group of cohorts will no doubt find out about it sooner or later, and before I know it, the entire school will know about the elevator. Looks like it's gonna be a secret that just Fungus and I share for now.

Once I reach floor five, I dodge all of the students rushing up and down the hallway and step over to the side of the hallway to glance down at my map. I need to find a bathroom so I can wash this sticky paint off of my scales. The longer I let it stick to me, the harder it's gonna be to clean it off later. Unfortunately, the map proves just as hard to read as ever. Who exactly designed these maps? Whoever it was must have exceptionally good vision because I'm having a hell of a time trying to make out the tiny words scribbled all over the map even with my glasses shoved up my nose.

Finally, after much deliberation about whether or not the tiny room marked by a black scribble of words I can't make out is a bathroom, I decide that the only way to find out is by taking a trip there myself. Balancing my school supplies carefully in my arms, I avoid collisions with the monsters swarming through the hallway as I hurry to my destination. Once I reach it, I realize that the room is a bathroom. Glad that my intuition paid off for once, I use the webbed hand not balancing my books to push the door open.

The bathroom is relatively large as far as bathrooms go. The bathroom stalls are lined one after another to the left side of the room and the sinks are most likely around the corner of the right side of the room. The walls are a faded white color, the bathroom stalls a muted shade of dark green, and the floor is composed of white and green flecked tiles.

I follow the corner and find the section of the bathroom with the long counter with three sinks built into it. There are lots of mirrors on this side of the room. There are mirrors in front of me, to my left, to my right, and even mirrors above my head. All of these mirrors send a strange shiver down my spine. It seems odd for a bathroom to have so many mirrors. At least the mirrors are only present on this side of the bathroom.

Wasting no time, I prop my school supplies on the counter and yank off a long piece of paper towel and wet it before wiping desperately at the dried paint that clings stubbornly to my scales. My eyes narrow into slits and I curse Wazowski in my mind as I continue to scrub harder at the bits of paint. A little soap helps the situation somewhat, but a small portion of my scales still have an ugly red tinge to them. I'm debating about what to do about this when the bathroom door creaks open.

Wadded up paper towels still in my hand, my head jerks up and I notice one-eyed Doom and his several-eyed, yellow-toothed friend enter the room. Their eyes immediately focus on me. That same shiver from earlier runs down my spine. Abandoning my task, I decide that I am clean enough for now and scoop my school supplies back into my arms before setting my jaw and stepping right on past the two figures and to the bathroom door. I can feel their gazes on my back and shiver again. I know that they're staring at me, it's not just paranoia this time. As I slip out of the bathroom and back out into the busy hallway, my only question is _why_.

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_Review please! :) Btw, I just want to say thank you so much to those of you who went ahead and read my other story as well! I'm going to continue updating that one if any of you are interested. Thank you again for your support - you guys are awesome!  
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	18. Chapter XVII

**honorstudent97: Even if Mike and Sulley aren't my favorite characters, I've got to admit that they make cute friends. Are you a fan of Mike? I agree with you about Randall; his innocence is pretty adorable. I hate to say it, but he doesn't keep his innocence for long in my fic. :P  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Yeah, this is a slashy story. xD I guess you could say that I'm a slasher since my top three MU/MI pairings are all slash. *hides under my desk* How do you feel about slash? Just wondering. I know what you mean about the Noose coming up with the idea to kidnap children. I bet his mind works in nasty ways. :P Oh, okay, I understand what you mean about minor characters. I actually really like RPing as Nancy even though she doesn't even talk in the film. Then again, I'm really obsessed with MU, so that might just be me. Ooo, I love photo manips! I can spend hours messing around with those things. Do you use a certain website for them? I think I accidentally read the story with Johnny and Randall. It was the one where he got all pissed off with Chet and the others for beating Randall or whatever, right? It seemed sorta OOC to me and I started feeling bad for Chet, so I stopped reading it, lol. And aw, thanks! :D You're the best! **

**marioandsonicFTW: Aw, that's so nice of you to say! I'm so glad that you like my writing! :D Sometimes I think that I overdo the detail in my stories, but I'm glad that you like it. Haha, I love how Mike and Sulley start out in the mail room. That's pretty funny! Do you have a favorite character from MU?  
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**Nymris: Lol, yes, whoever designed the school definitely had a sense of humor! :D Doom is my OC, yup! I don't usually like making up OCs, but I needed an antagonist for this story, so I came up with him. What do you think about him so far? I usually don't like my OCs much simply for the fact that I'm terrible at designing them.  
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**I-Like-Sulley: It's no problem about not reviewing the last chapter; I understand how it is. We all get busy sometimes. But yeah...they can't seem to have a conversation without something insulting coming up, can they? Random question, but what did you think of Scott? A lot of people really like him, but I dunno, I just didn't. :P Maybe that shows through in this? Thanks for reading!  
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**a fan: That would be great if you were able to go and see it next week! Yup, the forth of July is coming up! Are you looking forward to it? :) Thanks for the early birthday wishes! I'm actually really excited for it. Yay, it's good to know that the cliffhangers are a good thing in regards to this story. Do you have any predictions regarding what Doom might want from Randall?  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: I ended up crying at the end of MU for the same reason! I absolutely loved the film. Although Randy's backstory was a bit of a disappointment (I was hoping that he would turn "dark" for a more tragic reason), the rest of the film was brilliant! I really ended up loving some of the new characters like the RORs. Do you have a favorite part from the film? Wow, that's cool that you saw MI when you were 4! I didn't get into the fandom until a few years ago. :)  
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**Energy Witch: That's very true; no villains are ever born evil. I guess I was just shocked at how much Randall changed from MU to MI. I would've liked to see a more tragic backstory for him, but maybe that's just me. Honestly, I don't blame the RORs for Randall's change in personality. They might have been big-headed, but they were by no means cruel or evil. And same thoughts here! Doom is the one Funk should be worrying about. Thanks for the review!**

**Ale: Wow, thank you so much for such a nice review! :D It definitely brought a smile to my face. I agree with you that some parts are OOC. I'm going to guess that you're referring to Mike? I realize that I overdid him a bit. *hides* It is good to hear that you like my Randall though! I decided not to make him quite as innocent as he was in MU. I honestly don't like what MU did with him that much, but hey, I'll take what I can get. Are you a fan of Fungus? I really like him actually! I think that he's a cute character and I was disappointed that he got neglected in MU. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment on this! I usually update at 11/12 at night in case you're wondering. ^^**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: I'm so glad that you're happy that Randall and Sulley had a conversation! No need to apologize, you know me, I'm a slasher too. *high fives you* Yay, it sounds like you loved Monsters University as much as I did! I agree with you; there are so many things to fangirl over in it that it's not even funny. I sort of wish that the film had done more with Randall, but he was very adorkable with those glasses. So is Oozma Kappa your favorite team then? Terri and Terry are pretty funny. I started a story about them but sort of discontinued it before I posted it. Thank you so much for reading my other story! *hugs* I don't think that it's as bad as Amber Eyes. It's just kinda got the abusive family theme to it. Oh my god, yay, I'm glad that you overemphasize characters' flaws sometimes too! I felt like I was the only one who did that. And hey, I pretty much only write slash, so it's all good. :) Gah, FF, don't send reviews until we're done with them! xD Oh god, I loved the cupcake part too. I don't think that Randy was having much luck with the HSS girls though. They were just kinda giving him the "go away" look when he offered them cupcakes. :P Thanks so much for reading!  
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**Chapter XVII  
**

I put all thoughts of one-eyed Doom and his gang of monsters out of my head and shuffle down the crowded hallway to my room on the right. I pause in front of it to dig out my room key from amidst my towering pile of heavy books, notepads, and other school supplies. Trying to balance my books in my arms and holding my pencil in my teeth, I reach forward and slip the room key through the slot in the door. It creaks open with a loud groan. I'm just about to shuffle through the door when someone slinks up behind me.

"BOO!" a loud voice yells directly below my ear, causing me to jump in surprise. My pile of books waver precariously in my arms and I accidentally bite down on the pencil between my teeth, cutting it into two sharp halves. I make a wild attempt to save my books from landing on the floor, but it's too late. They've already gone crashing to the hard wooden floorboards, taking me along with them.

Spitting out the two halves of pencil in my mouth, I glare upward to find a bright green cyclops running down the hall as if the devil himself is after him. That can be the egg shape of only one certain monster. My hands curl into fists and I snap, "Wazowski, you get your little good for nothing-"

I abruptly come to a halt as a room at the end of the hallway cracks open and three adult monsters emerge from it. Although I don't recognize any of these monsters, I assume that they are teachers. Not particularly wanting to get into trouble for yelling in the hallway, I have no other option than to let Wazowski get away from me yet again. That annoying imbecile has lady luck on his side as much as I hate to admit it. My eyes follow the cretin all the way down the hallway until he disappears around the corner.

As I shift onto my knees and start gathering up my books, notepads, pencils, erases, and other supplies for what seems like the third or fourth time today, I scheme about the day I'll finally end up mastering my camouflaging talent. That will be the day when I finally give Wazowski the what for. I'll be the one scaring him witless, not vice versa. ...Not to say that he scared me just now or anything. He just caught me off guard, that's all. It would take a hell of a lot more to scare me than an arrogant, metal-mouthed monster.

Fuming silently since the teachers are still walking calmly down the hallway, clearly unaware of my situation with Wazowski, I manage to gather up all of my supplies save for one pencil several feet in front of me. I crawl on my hands and knees toward it, but am surprised when a bright orange hand picks it up first. I open my mouth to chastise someone for stealing until I look up at notice that the hand belongs to none other than Fungus. He is smiling shyly at me and holds the pencil out towards me.

"You really ought to get a bag or something to carry all your things in," Fungus says, managing to speak an entire sentence without stuttering. I stare at him in shock, making the little red monster look around anxiously before he asks, "What?"

"You didn't stammer for once," I point out, wondering if talking with me really is helping Fungus overcome his stutter. I get to my feet in a graceful motion and pluck the pencil out of Fungus' hand, adding, "Thanks. Wazowski thought that it would be funny to scream in my ear while I was trying to get the door to my room open."

Fungus doesn't look like he heard my last sentence and is instead looking at the wall with an expression of disbelief on his face as he admits, "You're right; I wasn't s-s-stuttering..."

Apparently, the non-stuttering streak can't last for too long. I sigh and Fungus' red cheeks turn a darker shade of crimson. I wave away his embarrassment and scoop the rest of my supplies into my arms as I lean against the doorway to the room I share with one-eyed Doom and add, "Eh, you'll stop stuttering eventually. You've gotten better since I met you."

"You...you really think so?" Fungus asks, instantly brightening. Even if he hadn't improved, I would've nodded just to keep the smile on his face. Fungus grins and says, "T-thanks!"

Waving to the door behind me, I tell the speckled monster, "Look, Funk, I'm going to study for a while and then call it a night. I've got the history of Monstropolis first thing tomorrow morning and then I've got another one of my scaring classes in the afternoon. I don't want to be tired after the first day of school."

"Oh," Fungus says, face clearly falling. He looks like he's procrastinating for some reason or the other as he shifts from foot to foot and takes off his glasses, pretending to inspect them before placing them back onto his nose. Daring to look back up at me, Fungus asks, "So does that mean that you won't be going to the cafeteria for dinner?"

"Nope," I reply, noticing that my words cause the smaller monster to look crestfallen. Fungus is a lot like me; we're both geeky loners who don't really fit in with anyone else at the university. However, unlike me, Fungus is extremely shy. He doesn't like going places by himself and seems to search me out whenever he can. I feel a twinge of sympathy for the monster I can relate the most to in this gigantic school and glance behind me to see if one-eyed Doom is in the dorm room. There's no sign of the eerie looking monster anywhere. I wouldn't normally do this, but under the circumstances, I go ahead and suggest, "You can hang out in here with me for a while if you want. I'm just gonna working on arithmetic homework, pretty boring stuff really."

Fungus' eyes immediately light up and he dashes after me into the bedroom, replying, "Wow, thanks! I didn't really want to go to the cafeteria by myself. There was this green monster earlier who k-kept picking on me and threatening me."

Fungus' voice relapses into a stutter as he recalls recent events. I frown and go to sit at my desk, dumping my school supplies out in front of me and then sorting through my books until I find the heavy arithmetic textbook. Once I locate it, I flick it open to page ten and start multi-tasking, trying to complete addition problems and talk to Fungus at the same time. Something about the way he described the green monster causes a bad gut feeling to form inside of me. I have a good feeling that I know just who the green monster is.

"Let me guess," I say, peering through my thick-rimmed glasses as I stare at my textbook even though I'm talking to Fungus. "The green monster had three shifty eyes, a gaping mouth, and uneven yellow teeth, right?"

There is a stunned silence from behind me. I peer over my shoulder to find that Fungus has decided to make himself at home and is sitting on my bed with wide eyes. Meeting my gaze in bewilderment, he replies, "Yes, that's exactly what that m-monster looked like. How'd you k-know that?"

"I know his type," I reply darkly as I return my gaze to a particularly tough problem in my textbook. "He's pals with one-eyed Doom, my roommate, and the rest of Doom's gang. See if you can avoid 'em if you can. I haven't talked to them at all yet, but they're trouble in the making. They're like Wazowski, but darker. Evil even."

"That's good advice. I'll t-try to avoid them if I can," Fungus nods before frowning and admitting, "Sometimes I _can't_ avoid them though. The green monster - I don't know his name - threatened to break my glasses earlier. I can't see a thing without them!"

"Don't pay any attention to him. He's just trying to scare you. Nobody would dare to actually break your glasses. After all, you could report them to the headmistress and they'd get sent him for something like that. Dean Hardscrabble is really strict from what I've notice," I tell Fungus, starting to realize that it's about impossible to multi-task and talk to Fungus at the same time. I've been stuck on this same story problem for about five minutes now and still haven't made much progress with it.

"I hope you're r-right, Randy," Fungus says urgently from behind me, still sitting on the bed. A moment of silence passes during which I finally make some progress on the arithmetic problem. I've just about completed it when Fungus breaks off my concentration and says, "I f-followed Sullivan and his group around for a while earlier. I'm positive that they're up to something."

"Hm," I mutter, slightly annoyed that Fungus made me lose my concentration because now I'm gonna have to start on this problem all over again. Shoving my textbook away from me for a moment, I realize what Fungus just said and point out, "You know, I don't think that Sullivan's all that bad. He's not like Wazowski. I sat next to him during - wait, no -_ he_ sat next to_ me _during our first scaring class earlier. The bloke's actually pretty intelligent and he was being nice to me. Well, nicer than most people around here are to me."

The black screen of the laptop sitting on the desk in front of me reflects the slightly jealous look that crosses Fungus' face. He doesn't speak for a moment and then says, "I still don't trust him. Anyone who's already forming a group of students outside of-"

"Funk," I cut him off in a sharp voice, "Can you find something to do with yourself for five minutes? I need to finish this homework and I can't concentrate with you constantly blabbing in my ear. I see that you have an arithmetic textbook with you too. Have you done your homework yet?"

"Yes. I mean, no! I haven't done my homework y-yet," Fungus stutters as he obediently picks up his book and opens it up to the first page. "I will do my problems r-right now. Sorry for annoying you earlier. I didn't mean to distract you or anything."

"It's fine," I say curtly, thankful for the silence that follows as Fungus and I both concentrate on our homework.

I only have fifteen problems left to come up with answers for, but they take about two minutes each, so it's a good half of an hour before I finally finish my homework. Feeling successful, I close the arithmetic book with a sharp snap and then glance up at the clock. It's gotten late and one-eyed Doom still hasn't returned to the room. I'm not complaining. Maybe he'll pass out in the cafeteria or who-knows-where. I turn my gaze back to Fungus and find him still sitting on the bed, bending over his textbook with squinted eyes and looking at the page in front of him as if it's written in a foreign language. I hesitate for a moment before getting up and sliding onto the left side of the bed so that I'm sitting next to Fungus.

"Hey," I say quietly, causing the smaller monster, who has obviously been concentrating hard, to drop his book into his lap and look up at me, startled. Nodding toward his book, I ask, "You want some help with that?"

"I t-tried really hard to understand the chapter, but there are some things I just don't understand," Fungus blubbers, looking upset that he can't seem to comprehend the chapter.

I'm no teacher and I've gotta admit that spending the rest of my night helping Fungus out with his homework was not originally on my list of things to do. Still, I can't seem to not help him. Deciding to be nice about the whole thing, I slide the book from Fungus' lap into my own and say, "Alright, let's just start at the beginning of the chapter. I'll walk you through it. Sound okay?"

"Okay!" Fungus replies enthusiastically before sending me a very grateful smile. "You're the best friend anyone could ask for, Randy!"

I note that Fungus managed not to stutter yet again and send a ripped tooth smile in his direction as I reply, "A lotta monsters would disagree with you on that point, Funk. Anyway, let's start here..."

I spend the next hour and a half working on Fungus' homework with him. Fungus may be a good artist, but arithmetic is not one of his talents. He doesn't get simple mathematical rules until I explain them for the third or forth time. It's hard for me to keep my temper under control with him, but somehow or the other, I manage. We've just gotten through the entire chapter much to my relief. It took me only ten or fifteen minutes to read to myself, but a whole hour and a half to explain it to Fungus.

"Alright, now we're on the problems. They're not too hard. Well, the first ones aren't difficult anyway. Why don't you start with this one and..." I trail off as I realize that Fungus' head is resting against the headboard. His eyes are closed and his lips are half-parted in what looks like sleep. Groaning inwardly, I shake the smaller monster's shoulder and say, "Funk! Funk, snap out of it!"

Fungus does not snap out of it. Instead, his head lolls and his eyes remain stubbornly shut. Sighing to myself, I decide to do some of Fungus' arithmetic problems for him because it's more than likely that he's been sleeping for most of the past hour and still has no clue how to do any of these problems. Every few seconds, I glance over at Fungus, expecting him to wake up at any minute. As soon as he wakes up, I'm gonna send him on his way. It's late and he should be getting back to his own room right about now. Seconds turn into minutes and minutes soon turn into hours. Fungus stays fast asleep and I have to admit that even I am starting to feel a little drowsy. I will myself to stay awake and finish the story problems, but exhaustion overpowers me and I'm soon drifting off into darkness.

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_Review please! :)  
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	19. Chapter XVIII

**honorstudent97: Same here! I tolerated Mike okay in MI, but MU Mike I didn't like too much. In fact, I didn't like Sulley or Randall that much in MU either even though I like that movie better than MI. Wow, I'm a weirdo. xD Hehe, well, I doubt that Randall will lose his innocence in the way you expect him to. *hints* Sorry, but no, this story is really long and it's going to go on for a good six or seven months (it's really long). And wow, Beijing?! What are you going there for?  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Nooooo, don't apologize! *hugs* Seriously, I just love getting reviews either long or short! ...Your feeling is correct! :P Hope you like this chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Thank you! I'm so glad that you're still loving the story! :D And Sulley is your favorite? I love MI Sulley! What do you like about him?  
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**Nymris: Well, I'm definitely glad that I made you love RandallxSulley! *high fives you* I take it that you weren't a fan of the pairing before reading this story? Honestly...I ship RandallxFunk as well as RandallxSulley. So don't be too shocked if you find some cute scenes between those two in this. xD How do you feel about this pairing? Glad you like Doom as an OC! I always try to limit an OC's role in a story, so Doom won't be in this too much. And omg, a Doom plushie, lol! I can imagine one of those after seeing all of the MU plushies!  
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**Mysterious: Yay for Randall fans! I love him too! *high fives you* What's your favorite thing about Randall? And omg, that's so awesome that you got to watch MI in school! I'm jealous. xD  
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**a fan: That's awesome that the fourth of July is your favorite holiday! What do you like most about it? :) It is good how Randall and Fungus are becoming friends! I think that they make cute friends, don't you? And ooo, that's a good prediction about Doom! You'll figure out what he wants very soon!  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: I love how we're on complete agreement about what could've happened in MU! I mean, like you said, Randall could've been such a sweet guy, but nooooo, he had to turn evil for all of the wrong reasons. *cries forever* What you said doesn't sound bad at all! What would you have liked to see happen to Randall to make him turn over to the dark side? I'm curious because I think we all have our own ideas about this. Also, thank you so much for saying that you wish that the movie was more like my story! That means a lot to me! :D  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I agree about MU! It definitely made things in MI much clearer. Did you know that there's going to be a third monsters movie? And yes, yay for Johnny and Chet! I love them so much. I'm even wearing a shirt with them on it right now, haha.  
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**Ale: You know...I think we see eye to eye on the movie! I didn't like Mike much at all in Monsters University either because I felt like he was OOC as well even if it was in the opposite way that I took him. I mean, how did A plus student Mike go to "Omg, I'm always forgetting my paperwork!" Mike from MI? I didn't like Sulley taking on the dumb jock stereotype either. All in all, I thought that each of the three main characters were a bit off, so that's partially why I decided to write this story. What would you have liked to see happen to Randall to turn him over to the dark side? Same here though, I actually ended up liking Monsters University better than Monsters Inc. even after I complained about it for an hour just there, haha. I'm so glad that you like Fungus as well! I think that he's a pretty cute character who has lots of scenes with Randall that we don't get to see in the films. I've decided to try and bring those scenes into the light a bit. Wow, so you don't have any MI/MU pairings you like then? I immediately start shipping characters even before I see a film! But anyway...thank you for the review! I definitely enjoyed reading it!  
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**Mickfang27: Thank you so much for your compliments! Reading your reviews always brings a smile to my face! So this is the first RandallxSulley story that you've read then? I hope that I can convince you to like the pairing. :D Same thoughts here about Mike. It would be great if he could go die in a hole, but then we'd lose one of our major antagonists like you said. Let me know what you think of this chapter!**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: I definitely think that Randall has a soft spot for Funk! At least...the Randall in my story does. ;) They end up moving in with each other for a bit after they graduate from MU in this story. Slashers are the best! *high fives you* I honestly don't know why I like slash pairings so much, but I just do. xD I would've loved to see more of Randall's team in the movie! I mean, Javier, Reggie, and Chip didn't even get one line. *cries* Oh yeah, Randall did look mad when they lost, but I think that Johnny looked the most pissed off, don't you think? Yeah, the other story definitely isn't as bad as Amber Eyes yet. Chapter III is the darkest chapter I've written for that so far. I prefer writing sex to rape usually unless I'm in a bad mood (which is most of the time, lol). Omg, yes, that was definitely embarrassing with Randall and the cupcakes! I don't get why he felt like such an outcast though. He's so cute in MU! Wouldn't everyone want to be friends with Randall? :P Thanks for reading!  
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**Chapter XVIII  
**

Creak! The loud opening of a door in the distance wakes me up the next morning. I raise my head slowly and look around blearily. One-eyed Doom must have left the room. Say, what time is it anyway? Glancing over at the alarm clock, I realize that I forgot to set it last night. Damn. Do I even want to know what time it is? Probably not. With my luck, it's more than likely that my history class has already started. I try to move myself forward to see the alarm clock, but something heavy is pinning my arm down to the bed. Annoyed, I yank my arm out from underneath the heavy object and flick annoyed emerald eyes downward. Fungus is still sleeping on my bed, his head tucked awkwardly into the crook of my arm. The red monster's arithmetic textbook is still lying on my lap half-opened from where I left it last night. Apparently, I must've fallen asleep halfway through problem fifteen.

"Funk!" I snap, already in a bad mood this morning since it's more than likely that we're gonna be late for class. "Get up!"

My voice is so loud that the smaller, bean-shaped monster almost immediately rouses at the sound of my voice. Fungus' glasses slide down over his nose as he looks warily from left to right, trying to detect where my voice is coming from. I ignore him and peer over his head at the clock. The two of us have exactly five minutes to get to our history class! There's no time to lose.

"Come on! Move!" I grouch at Fungus as I slip off of the bed and throw myself toward my pile of books in the corner of the room. I rifle through them quickly before selecting the history textbook, a notebook, and a pencil. Noting that Fungus isn't going anywhere until he can see, I soften my expression just slightly and return to the bed to adjust the glasses on the red monster's face before I grab his little orange hand and haul him along with me while making my way toward the door. "If we don't hurry, we're never gonna make it to history on time."

"H-history?" Fungus stammers, looking completely lost as I tug him out of the door and straight toward the elevator. His bleary eyes roam from left to right before he manages to focus them on me. Recognition enters his eyes and then he nods vigorously, "Oh, right. History, of c-course! How could I forget?"

"Don't ask me," I reply, shoving my map of the school into Fungus' hands as we approach the elevator since I've long since learned that I'm completely useless at reading a map. "Here, read this and find the history classroom for us. Do it quickly! We're almost to the elevator and I need to know what button to press.

"Yes, right away!" Fungus nods quickly, sharp eyes already scanning the map as the two of us come to a halt outside of the elevator. I slam my fist into the red button and wait The elevator opens a second later and the two of us enter it. I tap my foot impatiently while Fungus continues to search the map for the history classroom. Finally, he finds it, his entire expression lighting up as he exclaims, "Here it is on the third floor right at the end of the hall by the elevator. We should be able to make it there in time."

"We better be able to make it there on time. I'll never pass as a top scarer if I can't make it to class on time!" I fret, wringing my webbed hands together as I will the elevator to move downward more quickly. It seems to be moving extra slow today, probably just to spite me. Deciding to distract myself for the time being, I turn back to Fungus with a half-amused, half-annoyed expression on my face as I ask, "What was all that about last? You know, you falling asleep while I was trying to help you with your homework?"

"I'm sorry, Randy," Fungus says, looking truly sorry as he avoids my gazes and focuses on a little speck of dirt by his foot. "I was just really t-tired."

I can't blame Fungus for being tired, especially since I'm pretty tired myself. Sighing, I nod and say, "Just don't let it happen again, alright? I know that you've got your own room and I've got mine. We don't want people talking about us on the third day of school, do we?"

"T-talking?" Fungus stammers, looking utterly confused. "About us?"

Realizing that Fungus has no idea what I'm referring to and not wanting to be the one to burst his bubble of innocence, I wave my own words away impatiently as the elevator comes to a half, "Never mind."

Fungus looks like he's going to inquire further, but I'm already out of the elevator and am approaching the bright yellow history classroom door. Whoever teaches this drab subject certainly likes obnoxious colors to say the least. Glancing next to me at a small black and white clock hanging on the wall, I realize and Fungus and I still have two minutes until class starts. Phew.

I'm completely prepared to enter the classroom and immediately head straight to the back of the room for a desk that allows me to lurk in the shadows, but unfortunately, that's not what I find. A pink monster with blonde hair and a surprisingly human-like face with two eyes, a petite nose, and red lips is waiting for us at the door. I come to a halt in front of her and Fungus almost goes crashing into me, but stops himself from running me over at the very last minute.

"Hello, you two!" the blonde monster greets us cheerfully. I have to admit that I'm surprised to have such a young female monster as our teacher for this class. I figured that it was gonna be an older monster in his fifties teaching the class. The blonde's next words make me start to think that I might rather have a monster in his fifties as she says, "I have assigned seats for everyone. There are name tags taped to each desk. What are your names?"

"I'm Randy Boggs and this is Fungus," I reply guardedly, deciding to introduce Fungus because he's cowering behind me, clearly just as uncomfortable as I am at being held up at the front of the classroom. I search the room for familiar faces and find Wazowski, Scott Squibbles, and Don Carlton all sitting at different areas of the room, all wearing glum expressions on their faces. As a matter of fact, everyone is wearing a grim look. Nobody likes the idea of assigned seating. We all just want to sit by our friends.

"Randy, your desk is to the left there and your desk is right here in the front row, Fungus," the teacher explains to us before turning to the group of students behind us who are also new to the class.

Fungus visibly gulps at having to sit at the front of the class. I give him a compassionate look and then scuttle through the aisles until I reach the left of the classroom. Once there, I search the empty desks to see if any of them happen to have my name on it. Suddenly, I realize that I'm standing awfully close to Wazowski. Sure enough there is an empty desk next to him. I resolutely turn my gaze away from that empty desk and search all the other desks for the one with my name on it. Unfortunately, my search is futile. I search all of the desks except for one and come up with nothing. Gritting my teeth in annoyance, I hesitantly trail back up to the desk next to Wazowski's. Sure enough, it has my name printed on it in big, bold letters. Great.

I can sense the cyclops' single eye watching me as I dump my supplies down onto my desk unceremoniously and then perch on the very left edge of my chair to sit as far away from Wazowski as possible. After the paint incident from yesterday, I'm extremely reluctant to get within a few feet of him.

"Good morning, class! I'm Mrs. Mason and I'm going to be your history teacher this year. History is mainly a self taught class, but I'll be here to help you with anything you have questions on and to give you your quizzes and tests," Mrs. Mason says, much to the chagrin of the class. "I don't want this to be just another boring class for you though, so I've decided to mix things up a bit. Instead of having you read the entire chapter on your own, I've decided to have you read a paragraph of it to your partner. After you read a paragraph, your partner will read a paragraph and then it will be back to you. The two of you will proceed through all of chapter one or as far as you get in the chapter in the limited amount of class time that you have. Any questions?"

I glance across the room, ready to escape my desk next to Wazowski and partner with Fungus. Unfortunately, Bile has to raise his hand and ask, "Can we choose our partners?"

Mrs. Mason considers the question for a moment, causing the entire classroom to hold their breaths. After a moment, she shakes her head and says, "No, I'd prefer not to waste time with all of you rushing around the room trying to find partners. To make things easier on all of you, I'd like you to partner with the student to your right. Please begin reading now."

My heart drops and I know without looking that Wazowski's desk is directly to my right. It was bad enough just having to sit by him, but now I actually have to partner with him too? It looks as if I'm gonna have to kiss my grades goodbye when it comes to history. Wazowski is a dunce and probably a slow reader.

Figuring that we might as well get this over with, I turn ever so slightly on my chair and raise reluctant eyes to the green eyeball. Deciding to keep our conversation limited and strictly related to our reading material, I jab a finger at the textbook in front of me and ask, "You want to read first or do you want me to?"

"Hm, good question," Wazowski considers my inquiry, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on his desk in a lackadaisical manner that immediately puts me on edge. Everyone else has started reading by the time he finally decides, "You can read first."

Frustrated at the one-eyed cretin's lack of care about our class, I immediately turn to my book and take my anger out on it by reading in a clipped, fast voice. When it's Wazowski's turn to read, he slowly uncrosses his legs, realizes that he hasn't even bothered to open his textbook yet, and takes his time doing so. The end of my tail raps impatiently on the floor as I will Wazowski to hurry up and find the correct page already. I know that he's doing all of this just to annoy me. It's not hard to tell that I'm serious about my studies.

Just as I assumed, Wazowski is an extremely slow reader. It takes him twice as long to get through a paragraph as it takes me. The way he reads in a drab monotone isn't exactly helpful. We read every other paragraph to each other for a half hour, me becoming extremely short-tempered and impatient and Wazowski becoming more and more smug. My annoyance is increasing because I can't concentrate on the text when Wazowski is reading in an undertone. I'm gonna have to waste precious studying time later by rereading the entire chapter.

I finish another paragraph and glance meaningfully over at Wazowski. He is staring at the desk in front of him, eye blank and unseeing and mouth wide open. Not sure if he's falling asleep or busy staring at the student in front of him, I snap, "It's your turn to read, Wazowski."

"Huh? Oh, right. It is. You know, I've been thinking," the bright green eyeball says, finally turning to me. "I've finally figured out what your problem is."

"You think that_ I'm_ the one with the problem?" I ask incredulously before giving a mirthless laugh and adding, "Looks like you better take another look in the mirror at yourself, Wazowski."

"Yeah, I should, shouldn't I? I'm nice to look at," the stupid jughead replies, misinterpreting the meaning of my sentence. Returning back to his original trail of thought, Wazowski forgets all about the fact that we are supposed to be reading and goes on, "Anyway, your problem is that you just don't know how to have fun. All you ever do is work, work, work."

"At least I made the scare program," I boast slightly, sending the cretin a disdainful look. "You were too busy arguing with Sullivan to realize that the Dean listened to every word the two of you said."

"Eh, it's not really a problem anymore," Wazowski says, waving away my concern and propping his feet back onto my desk yet again. "I'll still become a top scarer. I have it all figured out. Besides, Sullivan and I are friends now just like the Dean wanted us to be. We're helping each other out."

"What?" I ask, looking genuinely surprised at this piece of information. I assume that Wazowski is fibbing and reply, "Don't play cute with me. I talked to Sullivan only yesterday."

"No, no, it's true. We're buddies now," Wazowski replies in a voice that makes me think that he actually is telling the truth. "We're both going to wipe everyone else's scare scores off of the wall today during the scare simulation demonstration. We've got it all figured out."

"_We?_" I echo, very shocked. "And just what made you decide to get all buddy-buddy with Sullivan, hm?"

Before Wazowski can reply to my suspicious question, a shadow falls over us. Damn. It looks as if we've attracted Mrs. Mason's attention. The teacher comes to a halt and looks over my shoulder to note that Wazowski and I are only on page five of our history textbook. She clicks her tongue at us in disapproval and asks, "May I ask exactly what's going on over here?"

* * *

_Review please! :) Sorry for not updating yesterday! I have pink eye in one eye and I think that I'm getting it in the other eye too, which is making typing a bitch. :S It's even worse because I wear contacts and I'm not allowed to wear them with the pink eye thing going, so I feel really blind right now. Buuuuuuuut on another random note, it's my birthday today! Thanks for being awesome and for reading this everyone!  
_


	20. Chapter XIX

**honorstudent97: Yay for liking MU better too! *high fives you* I didn't mind MU Sulley, but I wish he hadn't acted like a jerk so much at the beginning, you know? Eh...it's not too cute when Randall loses it. *coughrapecough* But anyway, he will have some good times with a certain someone, so don't worry! :) I really, really hope that you can get the VPN! I could never survive a year without internet. I'm married to my computer. :P But anyway...promise that you won't forget about the story even if you can't read it while you're in Beijing? :P  
**

**marioandsonicFTW: Thanks for wishing me a happy birthday! *hugs* I like Sulley for those reasons too! He's like the type of guy you'd want to have around if you ever needed a hug, you know?  
**

**Nymris: Aw, thank you so much about the compliment on my updates! I'm really glad that you like them so much. :) I honestly don't read any of the other fics on here, but I never thought that my writing was very good. Mike's definitely up to something, that's for sure! I tend to put too much detail into things like the teachers, I think, so I'm glad that you don't think I'm going overboard on it. Thanks for the birthday wishes! :D Today could've been better, but hey, at least I'm not blind yet, haha. I'm glad to hear that you're starting to like RandallxSulley and RandallxFunk! Do you think that you prefer one pairing over the other or...? I ship three/four different Randall pairings because I'm a weirdo. xD Thanks for reading!  
**

**I-Like-Sulley: Thanks for the birthday wishes! *hugs* Aw man, I'm so sorry about the blood vessel! Did you go to the eye doctor for it? I hope that you feel better soon! I guess we're both sort of in the same situation. Let's hope that we get better super fast!  
**

**a fan: Thank you so much for wishing me a happy birthday! *hugs* I agree, pink eye is the worst! I have it in both eyes now too. D: Do you remember how long it took for yours to go away? I just keep sitting here and literally counting down the minutes until it will go away. I know exactly what you mean! I hate getting partnered up with someone I hate for a project in school. *shudders* Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**Wolfy McBubblehorn: *grabs at the magic pink eye meds* Woo, thank you! This is the best birthday present ever! :D Pink eye is so annoying, especially for a contact lenses wearer. But anyway, I would've liked to see a darker Randall from the start as well. I definitely think that would have made him more consistent with MI Randall, you know? God, same here really. Anything would've been a better reason for Randall to go to the dark side. Imo, he turns to the dark side due to stress, anxiety issues, health issues of his own (my Randall goes schizophrenic later in life...), and physical abuse from other students. Oh wow, you're going to Ireland? I hope that you have fun! You'll have to tell me about your trip! I've never left Michigan before.  
**

**BloodRedRoses04: Yeah, there's supposed to be a third monsters movie! My friend heard that it's been confirmed! I think that it's supposed to be like a sequel to MI, don't you think? :D  
**

**Mysterious: Thank you so much for the birthday wishes! Happy belated birthday to you as well! Did you have a nice day, I hope? :) Omg, I love Randall's camouflaging as well. It looks so cool! And that's awesome that you got to watch movies on the last day of school. I LOVE that blooper! Is that your favorite MI blooper?  
**

**Ariddle-Ascare: Haha, I know that feeling - I hate logging in unless I have to. :P I'm glad to meet another fellow Randall fan! *high fives you* I absolutely love reptiles too. I have a snake actually. Do you have any reptilian pets? I definitely don't think that this story will give anything about MU away. The story is wayyyyy different than the film. It would be awesome if you liked the story plot better though! xD Do you think you'll get to see MU sometime soon? :)**

**XxSgt KululuxX: Gah, sorry, I must not have gotten your review until after I posted the last chapter! Anyway, thank you so much for the compliments! I'm glad that this story hasn't disappointed you yet. Randall is harsh, I agree, but that's just in his nature, you know? Sulley is definitely a sweetie. Sulley, go give Randy a hug and sweeten him up a bit, lol! Yay, so you're a Fungus fan too? I think he's adorable! Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**Chapter XIX  
**

Wazowski and I both fall into silence with Mrs. Mason's intense gaze fixed upon us. The entire class has turned to stare at our desks, curious to see what has captured the Professor's attention. I give Wazowski a look that tells him to answer the teacher's question. After all, I've been reading the chapter just like Mrs. Mason directed us to. It's that stupid, pathetic eyeball who insists on slowing us down and getting us off topic. I glare at him and fold my stick-like arms over my chest, wondering how Wazowski plans to get out of this situation.

"We've been reading, Mrs. Mason. Honest!" Wazowski insists when Mrs. Mason sends him a dubious look. He plasters a sickly sweet smile on his face and waves a sharp nailed hand in my direction, saying sympathetically, "It's just that my partner over here has been having a few problems with the reading, so we had to slow down for him to keep up. I'm sure you know how it is, Professor. Some monsters are just more talented than others at certain subjects."

My jaw drops at Wazowski's nerve. How dare he try and blame this entire situation on me? If it wasn't for the eyes of all of the students in the classroom fixed on the three of us, my temper would have snapped and I would have slapped that double-faced imbecile. Unfortunately, I am surrounded by students and a teacher, which means that I'm not allowed to say or do anything that might put my university status on the line. Wazowski will no doubt end up getting dismissed from the school if he keeps this up. Surely Sullivan or someone else will lose their temper with him. I can't be the only one who's suffering the stupidity of the lime green cyclops.

"I see," Mrs. Mason says, lips in a thin line and not looking particularly pleased with the situation. "I hope that the two of you realize that this chapter will have to be read by the end of the week. You're going to have to finish it in your spare time so you can read chapter two next week. Mr. Boggs, do you need any help with reading?"

Cheeks flushing an ugly purplish-red color, I shake my head once and glare daggers at Wazowski from under my heavily-lidded eyes. The egg-shaped monster is clearly trying to repress a smile, which eventually ends up breaking through just as Mrs. Mason turns and starts back up to the front of the class.

"Our time here for today is up. If you haven't finished chapter one, please do so. Your homework for this week is to finish your reading if you have not done so already and then study it. All of this material is very important. If you forget things from chapter one, the following chapters won't make any sense. You're all dismissed," Mrs. Mason informs us.

Wazowski is the first one off of his chair and out the door. I suppose that he thinks that he's running from me, but the truth is that I wasn't about to follow him. Even if I did catch up to the cretin, what exactly would I do to him? Everything that runs through my mind ends up with me getting expelled from the university. It looks as if I'm just gonna have to wait and tolerate Wazowski's childish behavior until he really messes up. Then I can report him and get the little slime ball out of my way for good.

Dreaming about the day when Wazowski will get expelled from the school, I ignore the disdainful looks on the faces of my fellow classmates as I start toward the door of the classroom. A banana yellow monster who's name I don't know, smirks at me and says, "Not so smart now, are you, Boggs?"

I ignore the comment and just keep walking. I don't recognition the monster's voice and am left to assume that he was one of the monsters who witnessed my performance in the scaring class yesterday. Alright, I'll admit that I acted like a bit of a know-it-all in that class, but that was only for Sullivan's sake so we could compare our wits. I don't normally raise my hand in a classroom.

"Are you alright, Randy?" a voice jerks me out of my thoughts as I step from the classroom out into the freedom of the hallway.

Glancing down, I find Fungus' concerned eyes on my face. Only now do I realize that I'm walking along with my fists clenched and my teeth gritted as if I'm trying to keep myself from punching someone, which in truth, is partially what I am trying to do. Taking a deep breath, I reply, "Yeah, fine."

"I'm sorry that you had to get partnered with Wazowski," Fungus says sympathetically as the two of us start down the hallway, neither of us paying much attention to where we are going. I'm walking just to release built up tension and Fungus is following my lead as usual. "He shouldn't have lied to the teacher."

"Yeah, well, he'll get what's coming to him eventually," I grumble, trying to loosen my fists. "Sooner would be better than later though."

The two of us walk all the way down to the opposite end of the hallway before I realize that I just walked to the wrong side of the building in my blind rage. I have to go to my scaring class next and I'm gonna have to take the elevator I've just walked away from to get to it.

Grabbing Fungus' arm, I pull us both to a halt and say, "Wait. Where exactly are we going? I have a caring class next and you have...?"

"Oh, um, good q-question," Fungus reverts back to stammering as he trails after me on my way back to the elevator. He takes out his map and flips it over to the back with his class schedule on it. Taking a quick peek at his classes for Tuesday, Fungus says, "I think that I'm supposed to go to music next. From the looks of things, the music room is across from the history classroom."

"What are you following me for then?" I ask, slightly exasperated, not at Fungus, but from my busy morning and Wazowski's nerve to basically call me a dimwit in front of the entire history classroom. Pointing back to the door we just passed, I say, "The music classroom is back that way. I would suggest that you go there instead of following me to my scaring class unless you've changed your mind overnight and have decided that you want to become a scarer."

"Oh n-n-no," Fungus shakes his head immediately, looking appalled at the idea of becoming a scarer. "I don't want t-that. I just thought that I'd walk with you to the scaring c-class."

"If you do that, you're gonna be late," I point out flatly, trying to figure out Fungus' ulterior motive for wanting to follow me around. I search my head for a reason behind his odd behavior and then remember how one-eyed Doom's gang was picking on him the other day. Sighing, I glance down the long hallway to make sure that I can't see any signs of any of the thugs before telling the speckled monster, "Look, if you're worried about Doom and his gang, don't. They all go to the scaring class with me. You won't have to worry about them tracking you down in the hallway."

Fungus' face visibly relaxes, but he still looks reluctant to leave me. He takes one hesitant step in the direction of the music classroom and asks hopefully, "Will I s-see you later today then? Perhaps in between classes or in the cafeteria later?"

"Guess we'll have to just wait and see," I reply with a shrug, deciding to give Fungus a reality check as I add, "You do know that I'm not gonna be able to follow you around and hold your hand during all of your classes, right? You're a non-scarer and I'm a scarer. We're gonna have lots of different classes. That's just the way things are."

"Yes, of c-course. I know that," Fungus nods quickly, his cheeks flushing a dark shade of scarlet before he takes two more steps backward toward the music classroom, adding, "Have a nice class!"

"Yeah, thanks. Ditto," I reply as I turn toward the elevator and hit the bright red button that will summon my instantaneous mode of transportation.

Sure enough, I'm only kept waiting for a second or two before the steel doors slide open and permit me to go inside. I immediately scuttle within the small space and use the tip of my tail to press the button of the proper floor the scaring room is on since my arms are already full. The metal door slides soundlessly shut and I feel my heart jump into my throat at the familiar sensation of traveling downward. As I wait to arrive at my destination, I can't help but think about the things that we'll be expected to do at today's scare class. Last class, we were supposed to try out the scare simulator to create a baseline for ourselves. Unfortunately, due to George Sanderson's blunder, we ran out of time for that. I assume that today is the day that we'll finally get to use the scaring simulator.

A ripple of excitement runs down my spine as the elevator comes to a halt. I've wanted to try out the scaring simulator since the moment I laid eyes on it. Anticipation starts running through my veins as I walk stoically to the scaring classroom. Although I'm mostly looking forwards to trying out the simulator, part of me is a little apprehensive about the score I will get on my performance. Dean Hardscabble says that we get judged on a scale of one to ten every time we use the simulator. I'd like to think that I could get a ten on my first attempt, but the truth is that I don't honestly know a lot about real life scaring. Sure, I've read about it in countless books, but I've never actually tried it out before.

Another bitter thought crosses my mind as I think to myself about how likely it is that Sullivan will get a ten on his first attempt at scaring. Speaking of Sullivan, I haven't seen him all day. Guess he isn't taking the history of Monstropolis along with the rest of us. My thoughts travel to something that Wazowski said earlier. Could he really have meant what he said about him and Sullivan becoming friends? I suppose that it's none of my business, but the thought of those two scarers becoming friends makes my stomach churn.

Finally, I reach the door to the scaring classroom. I'm one of the very first students to enter the large room with the tall ceilings and red-curtained stage, probably because of my elevator trick. As I start down to the front of the classroom, I catch the eyes of the few students already sitting down. Most of them look at me with cold, hard eyes. It isn't until now that I realize that they're jealous of me. It sure seems like it's a lot easier to make enemies than friends around here.

Ignoring the eyes boring into my back, I reach my familiar chair and lean down to shove my books and other school supplies underneath it to keep them from being trampled. The anticipation continues to build as I wait impatiently for class to start. As I wait, I find that I'm subconsciously keeping an eye out for a turquoise blue monster with purple polka dots. I'm not sure why I'm looking for Sullivan. I just am.

The classroom fills up quickly, but I don't see any sign of silky blue fur until the moment just before class is about about to start. Surrounded on all sides by a group of wannabe scarers, Sullivan walks casually down the aisle that leads to the front of the classroom. I watch his progress out of the corner of my eye. He waves at several students already seated and even calls out a greeting to a few of them. Every single student smiles or waves back at him. Hm. Sullivan is clearly a people person and my opposite in just about every way possible. Our appearances suggest that we could've come from different planets. Sullivan is broad and muscly with shaggy blue fur and I am slender and scaly with eight limbs and three dusky fronds arching above my head. Personality-wise, Sullivan is popular, liked by all, and friendly. I have already been labeled a nerd and a show off and it's clear to see that I've already gained some haters.

I try desperately to avert my eyes from Sullivan and concentrate on the front of the classroom instead. This proves impossible to do since the shaggy blue monster chooses this exact moment to stride out in front of me and take the seat next to mine. Surprised that Sullivan would choose to sit next to me when the entire row of chairs is empty, I glance up at the large monster curiously. He's not looking at me and is instead talking to his group of cronies, Scott, Don, Art, and Terri amongst them.

Suddenly, a figure descends onto the platform of the stage in front of us from what appears to have been somewhere above our heads. Folding her elegant wings behind her back, Dean Hardscrabble smiles calmly at us and murmurs, "Hello, class. Today we're going to pick up where we left off the other day. Only Mr. Sanderson had the opportunity to use the scaring simulator so far. The rest of you will get a chance to do so today. When I call your name, please come to the front of the classroom. Mr. Bile?"

At the Dean's words, I hear George tell his friend from somewhere behind me, "Go get 'em, Bile!"

The lights in the room dim and the Dean drags the dark red curtain back to expose the scaring simulator. Looking just as excited as I feel, Bile hurries down the aisle and then up the stairs to the platform. Unlike George, he doesn't take his time and heads straight for the door to the child's bedroom. The scaring has officially begun.

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_Review please! :) Also, thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes! You guys rock! :D  
_


	21. Chapter XX

**honorstudent97: Omg, yeah, I totally called Sulley out for bull when he said that he didn't work out in the film. Sulley's great, but Johnny's more of my type. I'm a weirdo, I know. xD Who rapes Randy? Well, it's not Doom or Mike, so you can be happy about that. I really hope that you can get the VPN! When will you figure out whether or not you can get it?  
**

**marioandsonicFTW: Thank you so much about the chapter! :D I'm glad that you liked it! I suck at checking my PMs, but you can send one if you want.  
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**Nymris: Haha, yeah, Bile is probably not going to have good luck with the simulator judging from how well he does with it in the movie. I always find him and George to be kinda goofy monsters who forget to use their brains, you know? :P I'm glad that you understand about shipping our favorite characters with just about any other character! I ship RandallxSulley, RandallxFunk, RandallxCelia, and I'm occasionally open to RandallxMike. The only pairing I can't stand is RandallxJohnny. I just find that disgusting for some reason. Fungus and Randall are closer than Randall and Sulley for quite a while in this story! They even end up as roomies later due to an event that causes Randall to have to get a new dorm. :) Thanks for reading!  
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**Remy: Wow, thank you so much for such a nice compliment! I'm really honored to know that you're enjoying this story despite not being a SulleyxRandall fan. Can I ask if there's a different Randall pairing that you like? I'm glad that you're continuing to read this and I hope that you keep enjoying it! Thanks again!  
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**a fan: Oh wow, two weeks is a long time for pink eye to go away! I'm almost out of drops, so I guess that I should get some more of them? I've been putting them in my eyes like three times a day, but I'm not sure if they're working or not. I'm glad that you're excited for this next chapter! Do you think that Randall will beat Sulley's score with the scare simulator?  
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**Mickfang27: Don't worry, you're not rambling at all! I really love your reviews! Thanks for liking how I put Randall and Mike together in the last chapter. Those two have horrible chemistry, don't they? I'm also glad that you're enjoying the SulleyxRandall pairing! I prefer them as a couple than as just friends. How about you? And yay for Boggivan fans! That's an awesome name for SulleyxRandall. :D  
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**BloodRedRoses04: : I know, right? Nothing is worse than getting embarrassed by the student you hate most at school! Mike is being a real pain, isn't he? Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: I love the bloopers so much! I think that my favorite one is the one with Randall in the suit. xD Do you know what one I'm talking about? I hope that you get to see MU! Let me know if you get to see it, okay? Thanks so much for the nice comment! **

**Ale: I'm the same way about MU! I mean, even if I didn't particularly like Randall's story, I still loved the movie. Hell, I think that I liked it more than MI even! When you think about Randall's story, I guess that it does work. It just seems like all of us were expecting something a lot more tragic to happen to him, I think. Same thoughts here about Mike and Randall! They seem a lot more antagonistic toward one another in MI than Sulley and Randall. Judging from what happened in MU, I don't think that makes a lot of sense, you know? Wow, I'm actually happy that I'm turning you into a RandallxFunk fan! I support that pairing too and I think that Fungus deserves some love! I hate history classes where you have to read aloud too. I've never been to college before, but in all of my classes, I've been forced to do the reading myself instead of listening to the teacher read. Listening would be nicer and easier though, haha! Glad that you think Mike is a little more IC here. I don't think that he's lying about being friends with Sulley although I'd definitely say that he's exaggerating. I agree with you completely about nobody getting a 10 on the first day! That would be pretty amazing if someone did. I don't think that anyone gets a 10 in my fic until we reach the next semester. I love long reviews and hearing your thoughts on this, so no need to apologize! I really enjoy your comments! :D  
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**Chapter XX  
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All eyes in the darkened classroom are focused on Bile's slimy bluish form as he literally dives headfirst into the child's bedroom. I find myself cringing at his approach to scaring. No doubt something or the other is gonna go wrong when you act so carelessly. Sure enough, I'm exactly right. Bile doesn't watch where he is going and runs right into a skateboard that has been purposefully placed in the center of the bedroom as an obstacle to avoid. Panicking, Bile swings his arms in large circles to try and steady himself. Although the azure monster with spikes along his back manages to save himself from falling, the skateboard jets across the room and runs into a pile of blocks placed either for the purpose of decor or for more obstacles at the right side of the bedroom. The blocks, which are about six inches wide by six inches high, wobble precariously before falling down all around Bile. Turning to see large cubes flying toward him, Bile stumbles backward and lets out a scream of terror before tripping over the skateboard for a second time. The monster's scream manages to wake the child up, but the effect is ruined by Bile toppling over as the cubes come flying down around him.

The lights flicker back on and the scoreboard to our left which consistently flashes bright green numbers turns black. Everyone holds their breaths in anticipation to see what kind of score Bile earned. After a long, tense pause, a number one appears on the board in neon green. Bile, who is still sitting and looking stunned amidst the pile of blocks, frowns at his low score and stares at the ground.

"Mr. Bile, please untangle yourself and return to your seat," Dean Hardscrabble orders Bile, a note of frustration in her voice even though she attempts to mask it.

Bile, suddenly aware that everyone is watching him and is either smirking at him or laughing at his embarrassment, quickly gets to his feet and succeeds in stumbling over the runaway skateboard ricocheting off of the bedroom walls in the process. Bile falls down for a third time, causing laughter to ring out around the classroom. Bile flushes the same color I blush whenever my cheeks turn red and hurries off of the stage and back to his chair as quickly as he can. A steely look from the headmistress silences all of the students mocking him.

"Students, I believe that I have made it clear on more than one occasion that you are here to build one another up, not to tear each other down," Dean Hardscrabble says, her voice very serious as her eyes linger on certain students in the room. I hope that she's glaring at Wazowski. Going on, the Dean says, "Insults will not be tolerated here at Monsters University. I've said that before and I'm saying it again. We work as a team here at the university, not as adversaries. It is not us against each other, it is us against the electricity scarcity. The more of you who graduate this year with a scarer's degree will go on to help fight against the electricity shortage, which is our true enemy."

The Dean's sharp words quiet everyone down immediately. I highly doubt that anyone will be making fun of anyone else again in this class.

"Now then, let's go over Mr. Bile's performance," the Dean says after giving us all a moment to take in her words about the electricity shortage, which is a matter to worry about. There's always something about the power scarcity in the newspapers or on the TV. Curious to see what the Dean has to say about Bile's performance, I lean forward in my chair and wait for her judgement. Dean Hardscrabble starts out by saying, "Mr. Bile earned a one for his attempt at scaring the child. Under the circumstances, I would say that this is a fair judgment. Although the swift approach to scaring can be a good one, you will always pay for carelessness. It is always a good idea to assess the objects within a room before stepping inside it. I am going to leave the scattered blocks where they are because I want you to get used to the fact that children often leave their toys about lying in the center of rooms and that it is up to you to make sure that you avoid them. Mr. Wazowski? You're up next."

At Wazowski's name, my lip curls and I wrap my tail around myself as I watch the enthusiastic green cyclops run down the aisle before racing up the stairs to the stage. The lights dim once again and the child falls back in bed, appearing asleep once more. It looks to me like Wazowski is going to use Bile's same approach and just burst through the door, but he seems to remember Bile's big mistake at the last moment and comes to a short halt just outside of the child's bedroom door. Pity. I would've liked to see him run into those blocks and fall flat on his face.

Completely ignoring the students in the crowd watching him, Wazowski takes a deep breath and relaxes his muscles before getting a determined look in his eye. Using his sharp, curved fingernails, the lime green monster pries the door to the bedroom open and creeps inside it. An eerie silence falls as Wazowski weaves his way around the perilous skateboard and the blocks scattered around the room courtesy of Bile. The cyclops reaches the child's bedside without any problems and takes a deep breath before raising his hands above his head and letting out a noise that is probably supposed to be a roar even though it comes out as more of a high-pitched scream if you ask me.

The child in the bed immediately jerks upright, Wazowski stops screaming, and the lights turn back on. Now that we know the way in which the scaring simulator works, all heads turn to the scoreboard as it dims to black. There is a moment of silence before the number five appears on the screen. Wazowski takes one look at the number and shrugs his shoulders, clearly not sure whether to be happy with this or not. Unlike Bile, he does not sit around and strides off of the stage and back up the aisle to his chair. I hear a few monsters murmur a "Good job!" or a "Nice work!" to him. One of my eyebrows raises in surprise. Wazowski actually has friends? Guess that the saying "you learn something new everyday" is right after all.

"Let's assess Mr. Wazowski's performance. All in all, that was very good for your first time at scaring, Mr. Wazowski," Dean Hardscrabble compliments the arrogant imbecile, apparently no longer holding a grudge against him for disrupting the scare program tryouts a few days ago.

Even though I don't have a clear view of Wazowski from where I'm sitting, I can just imagine the smug smile crossing the monster's face as he replies, "Why thank you, Mrs. Hardscrabble! I've been working awfully hard on perfecting my roar lately."

I don't know if Wazowski realizes how ridiculous that just sounded or not. Even the Dean cracks a bit of a smile before she goes on, "I like the approach you used to enter the room. It was obvious that you thought about bursting into the room like Mr. Bile did, however, you caught yourself at the last moment and refrained from entering the room at a run. Creeping up on a child is a sure way to scare him or her. For someone of your size and shape, I do not think that screaming is the best way to scare the child, but we can cover other ways for you to scare a child in depth later. As I said earlier, that was a relatively good performance for your very first scare. Mr. Waxford, please come forward."

A squid-like slender monster the color of forest green with five shifty eyes scurries down the aisle and then up to the platform. The next two hours proceed in exactly the same way that they've gone so far. A student is called to the platform, a scare is initiated, the student's score is posted, and then Dean Hardscrabble proceeds to give us a brief analysis on the scare. So far, the highest score belongs to Wazowski, much to my irritation. Getting a good score is apparently a lot harder than I thought that it was gonna be. A score that I thought would wind up at a seven ended up being a two.

Quite a bit of time has passed since the beginning of the class and I've managed to pick up some tips already just from watching the other students' performances. Now I see why the headmistress isn't dismissing the students who have already taken their turn with the scaring simulator. She wants us to learn from each other.

Glancing behind myself, I scan the classroom, which is temporarily lit up while the Dean assesses a snail-like monster's scaring approach. It appears as if everyone has now taken a turn with the scaring simulator. Well, everyone except for Sullivan and me, that is.

As if he happens to be thinking the same thing as I am, I feel a claw tap on my shoulder. Whipping around, I notice Sullivan smiling amiably at me, his white teeth glinting in the dim lighting as he says, "Hey, good luck out there."

I stare at Sullivan's face a little too long, trying to figure out the intentions behind his words. However, after a moment of intent analyzing, I realize that Sullivan is just trying to be friendly. A half-smile quirks the corners of my lips as I nod curtly and reply, "Yeah, you too."

Before Sullivan has a chance to say anything further to me, Dean Hardscrabble looks directly at us with her piercing brown eyes and calls out, "Mr. Sullivan?"

The turquoise blue monster with purple spots gets to his feet and strides comfortably toward the stairs leading to the stage. They creak under his weight, making me wonder just how much that beast of a monster really does weigh. Excited murmurs echo around the room as everyone leans forward to observe Sullivan's first attempt at using the scaring simulator. Like me, I assume that most of them expect quite a lot out of him. I expect him to get a seven or an eight.

A hushed silence falls as Sullivan comes to a stop right outside of the child's bedroom door. I find myself holding my breath for no good reason and force myself to let it out. The reason behind why I care so much about Sullivan's performance evades me. Guess I just want to pay close attention to my rival, that's all.

Looking very comfortable on the stage, by far the most comfortable out of all of the monsters who preceded him with the scaring simulator, Sullivan cracks his knuckles and then uses a hand to very quietly turn the doorknob. The door falls open without a single sound. Like many of the monsters before him, Sullivan creeps around the objects scattered on the floor, but unlike the monsters before him, he does so quickly without hardly any effort at all. It only takes a moment before Sullivan is at the child's bedside. Without delay, Sullivan pulls himself up to his impressive height and lets out a bloodcurdling roar that makes shivers run down my spine. Sullivan's roar easily makes Wazowski's attempted roar sound like a whisper. The child lying in the bed immediately sits up and lets out a pre-recorded scream. The lights flicker back on and an impressed murmur rings throughout the classroom as all heads turn toward the scoreboard. It seems to take forever before a neon green eight appears before us. Sullivan has bested everyone else's performance by three points. In the world of scaring, that is a lot.

"Nice work, Sulley!" Scott Squibbles calls out from a few seats to my right. I haven't talked to him since the day we rode the bus together. He must've decided that with Sullivan around, I'm not worth speaking to. Whatever. I don't need friends.

"Congrats, my man!" the voice of another monster I don't recognize meets my ears.

Sullivan smiles at his group of friends grinning at him and gives a humble shrug of his shoulders as if to say that his high score had nothing to do with skill and completely with luck. He strides confidently back down from the stage and drops down into the chair to my right.

"Well done, Mr. Sullivan!" the Dean says as soon as the turquoise blue monster is seated once again. She even goes so far as to applaud him briefly before saying, "I don't believe that I've ever seen a student earn an eight on their first scaring attempt before."

"Thanks, ma'am. I'm sure that it was just lucky first try," Sullivan shrugs meekly. I send him an incredulous look. If he thinks that anyone is going to believe that, then he's stupider than Wazowski!

"I don't think it was just 'a lucky first try', but I appreciate your attitude," Dead Hardscrabble tells Sullivan before going on, "What is there to say about such an excellent performance? Your approach was well executed and roaring works very well for you. Once again, very good work. It won't take long at all for you to boost your score up to a ten with just a little more practice."

"The higher scores we get, the more scream we'll be able to get to fuel the city," Sullivan points out cheerily, still not allowing himself to accept a compliment.

"Very true," the Dean nods before her bright eyes fall directly on me and she says, "Mr. Boggs, it's your turn."

I take a deep breath and rise from my chair in a jerky movement. Sitting down for so long isn't good for the muscles. I note Sullivan giving me an encouraging smile out of the corner of my eyes. I still haven't figured out why he's being so friendly to me. It's clear that my presence is not appreciated amongst his friends. Deciding not to take it personally and worry about this matter later, I shuffle up the stairs and onto the stage. My heart is pounding rapidly against my ribcage and I suddenly feel as if I have so much to prove. If I beat Sullivan here and now, I will be riding on a wave of glory. If I fail to match his score or get a score lower than him, I'll end up shaming myself and have to admit that Sullivan is more than my equal. Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself to enter the child's bedroom. Looks like I'm gonna have to post a big number or else fail myself.

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_Review please! :) Also, happy early 4th of July, guys! There are fireworks constantly going off around where I live, which is kind of annoying because I'm really jumpy and hit the ceiling every time I hear a boom, haha. Hope you guys are having a nice day!  
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	22. Chapter XXI

**honorstudent97: Omg, I loved the treadmill scene! Am I the only one who thought that it was too funny? I would've liked to see dazed Sulley and Mike after it, haha. Yeah, I looooooove Johnny. *stares at him dreamily* Uh, yeah, I'm a freak who has a crush on a monster. Pixar, what have you done to me?! Anyway, enough of my weirdness. The rape thing isn't so bad...you'll see what I mean when we get to that part. I'm glad that you'll be able to read this until August at least! :D**

**Nymris: I actually haven't read/seen The Hunger Games, but I know that they're popular. Maybe I should get around to checking the film out sometime. I'm glad that you liked the part with Mike in the previous chapter. Imo, it seems like the people (or monsters in this case) that we dislike most usually do well at whatever they happen to be doing just to irk us. :P But anyway, let's cross our fingers and hope that Randy gets a good score! Thanks about the frequent updates. I have no life, so I spend too much time thinking like monsters and writing MU fics! xD  
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**Remy: Aw! You're so sweet! I always reply to my comments, so expect frequent replies from me if you review. :) This is random, but I'd encourage you to post your stories on here. It's fun to get feedback on them. And wow, really? You like this story the most at the moment? That means so much to me! Thank you!  
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**a fan: My eyes are starting to feel a little bit better which is nice, but I'm taking your advice and am continuing with the drops just in case, you know? I don't want to get the pink eye back. Wow, that's an awesome prediction! I'd say that you're going to be right. Nice job! *high fives you*  
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**Ariddle-Ascare: Thank you for the compliments on the chapters! That's awesome that you're going to get a lizard. Will you name him Randy? :D I know exactly what you mean about life getting in the way of watching the movie. It has a way of doing that, doesn't it? =/  
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**BloodRedRoses04: : Haha, sorry, I really love cliffhangers! xD I'm glad that you liked the chapter though. :) Let me know what you think of this one! It was fun to write.  
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**Mysterious: That's awesome that you like that blooper too! *high fives you* I know what you mean; I could never wait for MU to come out on DVD! I think that I'd go crazy! Hehe, no, it's okay to join every sorority! I'm not really sure what club penguin is though. *hides* Thanks so much for the comment!  
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**Chapter XXI  
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I'm about to sneak through the door to the child's bedroom on the stage of the scaring simulator when I suddenly bring myself to a halt. No, I won't make my move just yet. It would be stupid to go inside that bedroom without a plan of what I'm gonna do in my head first. I want to do something different than what all of the other beginner scarers did, want to do something that will mark my scaring technique as unique and special. I don't want to show off exactly, I just want to...

Want to what? I find that the answer to this question stubbornly evading me. Hell, maybe I do want to show off and never even realized it until now. Guess that after eighteen long years of hiding in a shack on the shabby streets of Monstropolis, I'm finally ready for some recognition. I want this and I want to get a number better than Sullivan's.

I think quickly, knowing that everyone's eyes are on me. Yet, for some odd reason, I feel strangely calm. I can do this. Unlike so many of the blundering, fuzzy teddy bear-like monsters that took their turns with the scaring simulator earlier, I am lithe, reptilian, and have moves that the others can only dream of duplicating. An odd sort of smile curves up the corners of my mouth as I come up with a plan. I'm going to scare the child in the bedroom in a way that no other student thought of using earlier. That should get me my big number and Sullivan's respect.

Taking a deep breath, I reach out and take the tarnished brass doorknob to the bedroom between two webbed fingers before pushing it open. The bedroom door opens without even the faintest trace of a creak. Pleased with my initial moves, I slip just within the doorway and adjust my eyes to the darkness. My pupils dilate as I take in everything about the room - the bed and the way the child is position on top of it, the walls and how many feet are between me and the wall opposite me, and the scattered blocks and skateboard lying haphazardly all over the wooden floor. Careful not to make a sound, I tiptoe around the obstacles until I reach the side of the child's bed. So far, my performance has been just like every other scare routine. That's about to change right now though.

Instead of drooling, grunting, or roaring like the other students attempted to do, I leap agilely from the floor to the wall just above the headboard connected to the child's bed. The suction pads on my webbed hands have no problem sticking in the wall. Leaning out over top of the child from where I am suctioned to the wall, I make my eyes widen and glimmer dangerously in the dim lighting before I swing my head down and hiss in the child's ear. The reaction is immediate. The child jerks up screaming just as I pull my head back and nimbly move from the wall back to the floor all in one fluid motion.

A long silence follows my performance. The faces of the other monsters sitting beneath the stage stare up at me blankly. My sense of assurance starts chipping away and I wonder if maybe my performance sounded a lot better in my head than it actually looked to the eyes of my peers. I didn't think that I did all_ that_ bad of a job though. After all, the child did scream right away.

Hating all of the blank eyes focused on me, I slink off of the stage and scuttle across the floor to my empty chair. Suddenly, the silence is broken by a unanimous intake of breath from around the room. I come to a halt and crane my head upward so I can see the bright green number displayed on the scoreboard. It's a seven, one point less than what Sullivan achieved, damn him!

My bad mood that started from the beginning of the day when I realized that I had failed to set my alarm clock the night before suddenly worsens and reaches a peak. Even though I am the second highest scorer out of all the monsters who performed in the scaring simulator today, I feel disgusted with myself. How could I have let Sullivan win?! Now we know who the true monster is. Sullivan has proved his superiority and now I am nothing. My shoulders slump and I lower my eyes, quickly slithering into my chair and refusing to look at those around me.

Despite my sudden bad mood, Dean Hardscrabble seems quite impressed with my score. I'm forced to smile and nod along as she says, "My goodness, Mr. Boggs, that was very, very good for your first scare routine! A seven is an excellent score. I like the way you took a different approach to scaring. Using the wall was a creative idea. It won't take long before you raise your numbers to nines and tens. There is something I want to work with you on during the after class scaring program that will almost certainly raise your score by at least one number."

I nod, feeling a bit more hopeful at this remark. Even though Sullivan has demonstrated his supremacy on the scare floor today, he isn't necessarily going to be able to keep up that dominance. With a few new moves and tricks taught to me by the very best scarer - the Dean herself - I might stand a chance against Sullivan in the future.

"Now that the last of our scarers has taken a turn with the scaring simulator, class is dismissed," Dean Hardscrabble informs us, stretching out her wings before neatly tucking them behind her back once again. She looks over all of her students and says, "Since there is a day in between classes, I have a homework assignment for you."

A loud groan clearly emanates around the room. Apparently, everyone thought that they were going to get off the hook when it comes to the important matter of homework. I turn my nose up at their stupidity. Don't these dunderheads realize that they're gonna have to put some work into becoming a scarer? Apparently not.

"It isn't a difficult assignment, so you needn't worry. As most of you know, there is one thing that all scarers must have when working on the scare floor. Who would like to tell me what the essential thing is?" the headmistress asks.

My brain is working slowly due to the mortification I'm suffering after getting my tail whipped by Sullivan. Answering the Dean's question correctly could help me earn a little of my dignity back, so I try to search my head for the answer to her question. My mind works slowly and I feel as if I'm searching for the answer through a thick fog. Sullivan's hand is already in the air. Why can't I seem to remember the answer to the Dean's question? I know that it's an easy one!

"Mr. Sullivan, would you like to tell us what a scarer requires when working on the scare floor?" the Dean asks my rival, causing me to grit my teeth together in defeat.

"Well, the purpose of scaring is to collect canisters of scream power, right? A scarer can't scare and collect the canisters from outside of the bedroom door at the same time, so the scarer needs a partner, someone who can take care of the canisters of scream and rotate new doors through the scarer's station so the scarer has more kids to scare," Sullivan explains easily.

"Very good, Mr. Sullivan," Dean Hardscrabble nods once, causing my mood to sour even more. "Since all of you will hopefully become scarers at the end of the year, you will need to find a partner to work with. You have until Thursday to find a non-scarer to partner up with. You should keep in mind that the chemistry between you and your scare partner is important. It would be best if you can find someone you are friends with, someone you trust, and someone you work easily with. If you are having trouble finding a scare partner, I will assign one to you on Thursday. Any questions?"

Everyone shakes their heads. The room is completely silent. It seems as if everyone has been sitting a moment too long in the classroom. We're all dying to get up and stretch our cramped muscles.

"I know that you're all in a hurry, but I have one more announcement to make," Dean Hardscrabble says, easily reading into the monsters' impatient expressions. "The special scare program I am hosting will typically meet on Tuesday and Thursdays. I am aware that today is a Tuesday, but I must regretfully inform you that I will be unable to host the program tonight due to some unforeseeable circumstances that have arouse and need my attention. Classes will start Thursday night. You are all dismissed."

Nobody wastes any time in leaping to their feet, gathering their belongings, and heading out the door. I move along with all the other blurred figures, keeping to myself as I scoop up my school supplies and cradle them to my chest before weaving my way through the diversely colored monsters crowding the aisle. I don't dare lift my head because of the shame I feel at getting beaten by Sullivan. My cheeks are an ugly shade of purplish-red and a few droplets of sweat have formed on my forehead. The sooner I get out of this crowd, the better.

"Hey Randall!" a snide voice suddenly calls out my name. I react on impulse and look up to see none other than Wazowski. "That was a pretty nice number that Sullivan put up, huh?"

My eyes narrow into slits and I bite my tongue to keep from calling the one-eyed cretin a very derogatory name as I whip out of the classroom and shove my glasses further up on my face. I feel as if I'm walking in shock, still unable to believe that I let Sullivan beat me in the one thing that I'm supposed to be good at!

I walk aimlessly through the halls for a bit, just trying to burn up some of my self disgust. After a few minutes, heavy footsteps sound from behind me before I catch a glimpse of turquoise fur to my left. Sullivan. Normally, I wouldn't mind his presence, but right now I do not need him to gloat in my face. I'm feeling bad enough as it is.

"You did a really impressive job with the scaring simulator today," Sullivan says cheerfully, turning his azure gaze onto the side of my flushed face.

I had sworn to myself that I would keep my eyes resolutely glued on the polished tiles of the floor, but Sullivan's outrageous remark, sends my head jerking upward. I look at him incredulously for a minute before asking all in one breath, "Is that supposed to be a joke, Sullivan?"

The purple polka dotted monster blinks, clearly not having expected me to be in such a foul mood. Okay, so apparently he's not being sarcastic and making fun of my score. Frowning, Sullivan says, "No, I was just trying to tell you good job. You scored the second highest out of-"

"I know," I cut him off, realizing that Sullivan is not the type to mock someone. Wazowski, yes. Sullivan, no. Realizing that the way I interrupted the shaggy monster to my left was on the rude side, I add, "I mean that I know that you weren't joking, not the other part. Well, I knew that too, but it doesn't matter. Second-best is nothing."

I turn on my heel and plan to whip around the corner and leave Sullivan to celebrate with his own gang of friends. Surprisingly enough, I don't get very far. A strong, firm hand scorching hot in temperature fastens around my shoulder and brings me to a halt. I whirl around and find myself face-to-face with Sullivan. A sort of shock transfers between his hand and my shoulder. As soon as he lets go of me, I stagger back and continue looking at his hand in surprise.

"Your skin is like fire. You have a fever or something?" I ask dubiously.

"No fever here. Your scales are like ice," Sullivan points out, his expression mirroring mine. "You aren't cold?"

"Nah, I'm a reptile. What do you expect?" I reply before realizing that Sullivan must want something from me since he stopped me from leaving. Supposing that he wants something other than my embarrassment, I ask in my succinct, straight-to-the-point fashion, "Do you want something or...?"

"Yeah, I do, actually. I just want a minute of your time. Do you have a minute now?" Sullivan asks in a genuine voice, no ulterior motives written anywhere on his face.

I consider his question for a long moment. I'm curious as to why Sullivan is asking for some of my time. After all, what might he want with a reptilian failure like me? We're opposites in every way possible. Monsters like us aren't supposed to be friends or even casual acquaintances. The popular monsters hang out with other popular monsters and the nerds hang out with other nerds. However, despite all of this and the fact that the hairy beast just shamed me in front of everyone, there is something about Sullivan that intrigues me.

I part my lips and am about to admit that yes, I have a minute to spare, but only one. Unfortunately, at that very moment, a large mob of Sullivan's followers rounds the corner. They descend upon us quickly, their group led by Scott Squibbles. My minute of time is immediately eaten up.

"Oh look, your fan club is here," I say sarcastically, nodding to the group rushing toward my rival. "Look, if you want to talk, then fine, but we're gonna have to find a better time."

Sullivan opens his mouth to reply to me, but already his group of followers is upon him. Scott steps in front of me and starts blabbing a mile a minute about Sullivan's amazing performance with the scaring simulator earlier. All of the monsters surrounding the blue beast stare up at him with idolizing eyes.

Not wanting to get caught in this thick mob, I slip through the crowd and make my way down the hallway. At the corner, I hesitate and peer over my shoulder one last time. Sullivan is still looking at me, his azure gaze quickly meeting my emerald eyes. A sort of understanding flows between the two of us and I suddenly have no doubt about the fact that Sullivan will seek me out in the future to tell me whatever it is that he wants to tell me.

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_Review please! :)  
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	23. Chapter XXII

**honorstudent97: The dance scene was great! What did you think of the cutie kappa scene? I LOVED that scene so much, like way more than I should have liked it. The whole "Release the stuffed animals" thing gave me chills. :P So are you a fan of Squishy then? Lol, well, I say that because I've written worse rape scenes before (I write dark stuff, I guess). And yay, I'm glad to hear that you'll read this until you go to Beijing! :D  
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**hammondeo: Wow, thank you so much for such a wonderful comment! It means so much to me to hear that you'd recommend this story to anyone. I really try hard to get inside Randall's head to show his emotions to my readers. Ooo, you like Fungus too? Awesome! *high fives you* The little guy needs more love! Are you a RandallxSulley shipper? **

**Energy Witch: I'm with you there! Randy shouldn't get down over his first attempt at the simulator. Everyone has room for improvement at the beginning of the year, you know? Sulley will definitely seek him out when he sees a good time for them to chat together. *nods* Yeah, there's going to be a rape scene in this. Two, actually, although one of them is borderline rape. I write dark things. *hides***

**Nymris: Thank you so much! Happy forth of July to you too! I hear more fireworks outside of my bedroom window tonight even though it's the 5th. I think that the people around here don't realize that the forth of July is a day long, not a week. :P But anyway, I'm glad that you liked the fire and ice bit! I see Randall and Sulley as complete opposites. How about you? Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Is that a good thing that Sulley wanted to talk? And I know, right? Randall's scare was pretty scary, but I think that his hissing isn't as scary as Sulley's roaring, so that's why he got the second best score. Thanks so much for reading!**

**Remy: I'm so glad that you keep getting excited for the next chapters! I hope that this one is exciting/interesting. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes! It feels pretty weird to be eighteen now, you know? Oh, don't worry, you can post any sort of fic on here! It definitely doesn't have to involve slash. You can post your Randall/OC fics if you'd like, but of course it's up to you. Thanks for hoping that I have a good day! Was yours nice, I hope? :)  
**

**a fan: I'm so glad that you had a nice forth of July! Did you go and see some fireworks? I'm glad that you liked the last chapter! Randall would've scared me if I was that sim kid too! Who do you think is the scariest monster in MI? Thanks so much for reading!  
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**Mickfang27: Sorry for the cliffhanger! I hope that this chapter is worth the wait! I also can see Mike and Randall as a couple in a different scenario. It is interesting how an author's POV can slant a story or change a pairing so much, you know? I'm glad that you liked the part with the temperature contrast between Randall and Sulley. There will definitely be some romance scenes coming up, so I'll keep that tip in mind. Thanks! And don't worry, I'll do whatever it takes not to abandon this story. ^^  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Thank you so much! Here is the next chapter! I hope that it was worth the wait. :)  
**

**Mysterious: Aw man, so they have Superman but not Monsters University at the hotel that you're staying at? Superman, go die in a hole while Monsters University takes over the world! Anyway, you don't like Johnny? I love Johnny. xD He's like my second favorite character, hehe. Thanks so much for liking the chapter! Let me know what you think of this one!  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Yay, thank you so much for catching up! I thought that I might've ended up boring you with this story. *hides* Anyway, it's awesome to hear that you're a slasher too! *high fives you* Omg, I can't imagine Mike with anyone other than Celia. That would just be weird. xD Nancy is one of the goth girls from the HSS sorority. I really like her even if she didn't have any lines in the film. Wow, people actually call you Randy? That's awesome! I've never gotten called Randy before, but I wouldn't mind getting associated with him! Same thoughts here about Johnny and Randy. Those two just don't seem to mix if you know what I mean? They're opposites in every way possible. Thanks for the belated birthday wishes! *hugs* I feel sorry for Randy too. The poor guy always comes in second place. And omg, Scott annoys me as well! I dunno why, but his obsession with Sulley sort of gets on my nerves. Interesting thought on how Sulley would react if Randall got abused. Are we talking about getting beat up on or raped..? Thanks again for catching up! :D I love your comments!**

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**Chapter XXII  
**

As I turn the corner that leads to the elevator all alone once again, I start to plan out my evening. Thanks to Wazowski, I have a long chapter of history to read. In addition to my history homework, I also want to study for arithmetic. If I get time after that, I'll look ahead in my scare textbook to see if I can pick up any helpful tips from it. Sullivan may have beaten me once, but I am not about to let him do it again. Teeth gritted together and jaw firm, I punch the red button next to the elevator and wait impatiently for it to open. It eventually does and I slink inside it, glad for the momentary silence I get within the enclosed space. Although I don't have an excessive amount of classes, they are wearing and I find that I'm exhausted at the end of every day.

When the elevator reaches the floor my dorm room is located on, I waste no time in stepping out into the hallway and weaving my way through the swarm of monsters already clustered there. It seems as if most of them are going down the hall in the exact opposite direction as me. I assume that they're probably off to the cafeteria to snag a bite to eat. The thought of food is tempting, but I have too much to do to bother with supper right now. Besides, the memory of the gray goo Fungus told me was called "humus" the other day is still a little too strong in my head.

As I wind down the hallway and turn the corner, I find that I'm starting to recognize a lot of the monsters scurrying this way and that. It looks as if they are starting to recognize me as well. I earn several contemptuous looks as well as curled lips. Ignoring the obvious expressions of disdain, I keep my head held high and smooth my fronds back from my forehead as I reach the door to my dormitory. They're just jealous, I assume. As the second best scarer, a geeky loner, and Sullivan's rival, I'm bound to make more enemies than friends.

I sort through my school supplies and manage to find my card key and get the door open without dropping my books, notepads, pencils, and erasers all over the floor for once. Hoping that one-eyed Doom will be absent from the bedroom, I peer around the corner of the door. The room is completely empty. Good. I don't know where Doom spends his evenings, but anywhere other than my room - okay, fine, our room - is good with me. Glad to have some privacy this evening, I dump my books unceremoniously down on my desk and then sit down behind it and begin to read.

The history of Monstropolis is not as interesting as Mrs. Mason likes to think thatit is. As hard as I try to concentrate on the text, my mind keeps floating away to other subjects that have nothing whatsoever to do with history like Sullivan for example. I don't know why the turquoise and purple polka dotted monster is on my mind, but I see the glint of his white teeth as he smiles at me and the gleam of his azure eyes in my mind as I'm trying to read about the first monsters who settled Monstropolis. At this rate, it's gonna be a very long night.

It's ten minutes later and I still haven't made much progress with my history book. I'm five pages into it and the text seems to be getting duller and duller by the second. Sighing, I clean my glasses even though they don't need to be cleaned and wonder what Sullivan wants to talk to me about. He seemed earnest earlier. If only his damned fan club wasn't following him around every second of the day! I don't know how he puts up with them. I could never stand my own personal group of admirers trailing me around from dawn until dusk. Sullivan seems to handle it well though. I wonder if he actually likes the attention or if he just puts up with it for the sake of being nice. That's what Sullivan is - nice.

Noting that my history textbook isn't gonna read itself, I grudgingly push my bright purple glasses back onto my nose and resume reading. It takes me much longer to read through the rest of the text than it should, but at least I manage to complete it by the end of the night. After that, I pull out my arithmetic homework and rework some of the problems for some extra experience. By this point in the night, I'm starting to get tired, but it seems like such a waste to go to bed when I could be studying or doing something that will help me become the school's top scarer someday. Hesitating, I grab my textbook on scaring and also my class schedule so I can prepare for tomorrow's subjects.

After clunking my history tome down onto the desk with a heavy thud, I squint at my class schedule and find my subjects for Wednesday. It looks like I have science in the morning and gym in the afternoon. My forehead wrinkles in distaste. Science, well, it's just not my thing. And gym? Let's just say that chameleons aren't particularly good at sports.

Deciding to worry about my classes tomorrow, I abruptly get up from my desk and cross over to my nightstand to set my alarm. The last thing I need is a morning panic like last night. As I mindlessly tap the buttons on the alarm clock until I've set it to the proper time, I suddenly realize that curfew is up and that Doom still hasn't returned to our room. I'm not complaining, but it seems like he's definitely a rule breaker. There are quiet rebels, like myself, and more open rebels like Doom. I recall the ominous look he was sending in my direction when I accidentally met his gaze in the hallway after our encounters with the scaring simulator. You know, it's probably best that he's not in my room tonight. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I wouldn't put it past that guy not to slit my throat in the middle of the night.

Now that my alarm is set, I return to my desk and start skimming pages of my scare textbook for tricks on how to become a better scarer. I try to concentrate, but the words seem to blur and distort in front of my eyes. I know that I'm tired, but I need to study this stuff so I can get a higher score than Sullivan next time we do a scare routine. I won't get beat again!

Unfortunately, my need to sleep is greater than my need to read. When I rest my eyes for just a millisecond, darkness immediately pools around me and I find myself drifting off. The next morning, I wake to the raucous screeching of my alarm clock. Flinching, I jam my hands over my ears and get up from where I've fallen asleep at my desk. I stumble over to my nightstand and hit the "off" button on the alarm clock. After it woke me up so rudely, I'm half-tempted to throw the stupid thing out the window.

Rubbing my eyes, I take a look toward the mirror and frown. My feet take me over to the object on the wall for a better look. A reflection of my face meets my intent gaze. I look extremely tired with dark, bruise-like marks under my eyes and already I look...older? Stressed? What's the word I'm looking for?

Sighing loudly, I turn away from the mirror and yawn sleepily as I retreat to the corner of the room to pick up my science book, a notebook, and a pencil. It's inevitable that I'm gonna end up stressed while going to college. That's just the way university students who study hard are. We stay up late studying while the lazy monsters go to bed early and fail their tests.

Since I woke up on time this morning and have an hour before I need to be at science, I decide to take a short trip to the cafeteria and get some breakfast. Doom never returned to our dorm room last night, so I exit an empty room and start through the hallway in the direction of the elevator. The halls are less busy at this time of day and I note that several students are rubbing their eyes, looking just as tired as I am. Guess I'm not the only one studying late after all.

I take the elevator down to the main floor of the university and then follow the wave of students all headed to the cafeteria. The enormous room is busy this time of day and my heart temporarily stops as I notice just how long the line leading to the food counter is. It weaves up and down the expanse of the cafeteria several times. No way am I waiting in this line.

I make a mental note to myself that I'm going to have to get up earlier if I want breakfast in the mornings. Waiting in hour-long lines is not something gonna do. As I glance around the cafeteria for an empty table to sit at, a vivid orange hand waving in the air captures my attention. Fungus gives me a shy smile from across the room and waves me over to him.

Actually kinda glad not to have to sit all by myself this morning, I make my way around the tables to the smaller red monster. Pulling out a chair next to him, I plop onto it and dump my science book onto the table before resting my chin sleepily on top of it, murmuring, "Morning, Funk."

"Hey Randy!" Fungus says, sounding much more enthused than I feel this morning. He pushes a tray across the table to me and says, "I finished eating, but I got some extra food for you earlier."

The mention of food immediately perks my attention. I raise my chin from the edge of the table and look down at the tray Fungus has just pushed under my nose. The delectable scent of scrambled eggs and buttered toast greets my nose. My mouth waters and I'm more than glad to see that at least breakfasts are normal around here.

"Gee, thanks a lot, Funk. Didn't expect you to do this for me. I'm starving though," I admit, snagging a piece of toast with two webbed fingertips and taking a large bite out of it. "Didn't get dinner last night because I had to read a whole chapter from the history textbook, thanks to Wazowksi, and I had to study arithmetic and do some reading out of my scaring textbook."

"You should eat dinner, Randy! You'll get s-sick if you don't," Fungus says, beginning to stutter again for unknown reasons. "Besides, didn't you already do your arithmetic homework?"

"Yeah, but I want to make sure that I've got it down," I tell Fungus through a bite of toast, unable to fill my empty stomach up quickly enough.

"Make sure you're still t-taking care of yourself," Fungus says, all three of his eyes focused on the side of my face in concern as I continuing wolfing down breakfast, shoving scrambled eggs into my mouth with the spoon and crunching loudly on the toast. "Your eyes are so dark. You look tired. I'm surprised you had h-homework from your scaring class already."

"Relax already, won't you? We didn't have homework and I'm not about to get sick," I tell Fungus, wondering why he's so concerned about my health. Even my own mother was never this concerned for my well being. I scrape my tray clean and add, "I was just reading up on scaring techniques so I can best Sullivan next time we do a scare routine. Yesterday was our first time using the scaring simulator. You hear about that?"

"I d-did!" Fungus stammers, unable to nod fast enough to my question. He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he can congratulate me on getting the second best score in the class. It's nothing to be proud of and I'm actually ashamed of it.

"Don't congratulate me. I could have gotten the top score if I had tried a little harder and..." I trail off as I shove my empty tray across the table and turn my gaze to Fungus for the first time. He has a black eye and a large purplish splotch on the opposite side of his face. It's clearly a bruise that wasn't there before. Focusing my emerald green eyes on Fungus' face in shock, I exclaim, "Jesus, Funk! What the hell happened to you?"

"Now you notice?" Funk asks, a bit of irony in his voice as he sends me a half smile.

"Sorry, I was starving like I said earlier," I apologize, eyes locked on the way Fungus' left eye is swollen shut. It looks a lot like someone punched him. Guess there's always the possibility that he fell down the stairs or something like that too, but I think that my first assumption is more likely. Frowning, I ask again, "What happened? You fall down the stairs or did you get beat up?"

"Nothing happened. Not r-really," Fungus says, turning all three of his eyes to the floor. I can see him fiddling with his hands underneath the table as he gives me an obvious lie.

"Really, Funk? Nothing happened? I'm not _that _stupid, you know. You're just as bad as Wazowski if you think that I'm gonna to believe that lie," I snap, getting annoyed that Fungus won't tell me what happened. I'm his friend and I want to know what happened so I can see if I can help him out. Is that really so bad?

"That's not what I meant," Fungus replies quickly. "I d-didn't mean to make it sound like I think you're stupid or anything-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know you didn't mean it," I cut him off, waving away his apology. "Tell me what happened though."

"I..." Fungus starts out, nervously flicking his eyes to my face before looking at the floor again. I can almost see him trying to decide whether or not to tell me the truth. He decides against it and mumbles an obvious lie, murmuring, "I, uh, f-fell. D-down the stairs. They're really s-slippery."

Tiredness and my usual short temper cause me to grit my teeth together. I grab Fungus' shoulders and spin him around to face me. Not letting go of his slender shoulders, I snap, "Don't lie to me. I know that someone beat you up. Tell me who it was already. I'm not gonna be mad at you if that's what you're worried about. Why would I be mad?"

"I'm n-not s-s-sure. I just didn't want you to t-think less of me," Fungus stammers, his cheeks turning a shade of dark scarlet as his stuttering increases.

I feel the smaller monster's skin heat up under my tight grip. Only now do I realize that I'm making Fungus stutter. I release his shoulders abruptly and take a calming breath, saying, "Okay, I see the problem here. I'm making you nervous. Look, I'm not touching you anymore and I'm not gonna think less of you. You gonna tell me who did this to you or am I going to have to ask around about it?"

"No!" Fungus says quickly, cheeks still flushed in embarrassment. He continues fiddling with his hands before admitting, "If you must know, it was Doom and a few of his friends."

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_Review please! :)  
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	24. Chapter XXIII

**honorstudent97: Hehe, "Oozma Kappa - the most adorable monsters on campus!" I wish that I could go to Monsters University and buy cutie kappa stuff for "charity". What did you think of the charity scene? I couldn't stop laughing during it. That's cool that you knew someone like Squishy! xD Um, well, the first rape scene isn't very graphic, but the borderline one that happens later is. xD I'll try super hard not to leave you with a cliffie! Hope you liked the dA chapter!  
**

**hammondeo: I wish that I could hug all of Funk's worries away as well! He seems like the kind of guy who needs lots of hugs, you know? Ooo, you'll have to let me know what you think of MU when you see it on Tuesday, okay? Sadly, there's not much SulleyxRandall in it, but I ended up loving some of the new characters in it, especially the RORs! Thank you for the review! Also, someone will get revenge on Doom later although it's not going to be Sulley. ;)  
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**Energy Witch: Randall definitely gets beat up on later in this fic. That was always my thinking behind why he turned "dark". I'm honestly surprised that the movie didn't do anything with bullying, but I guess that's kind of a dark topic to cover in a kid's film. I agree with you though, the good kids can never best the bullies, you know?  
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**Nymris: It was only a matter of time before Fungus got beat up on, you know? It's always the innocent ones who get picked on. Poor little guy. :( My neighbors like the loud fireworks too! There are some going off again tonight. Thank god I don't usually go to bed until three or four am. Same thoughts here about opposites attracting. It makes for dramatic relationships. Thanks for reading! :)  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Haha, well, Sulley _thinks_ that he just wants to talk. He might want to do more later though if you know what I mean. xD Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Remy: Yay, I'm glad that you found the chapter interesting! :D I'm so happy that you like what I did with Randall and his mother! There will be a lot of drama concerning the two of them later in this fic. She was supposed to be a minor character in the story, but, well, you'll see what I mean later when I say that her role in this story is important. :) I'm glad that you can feel what Randall is feeling when you read my story! That's such a nice compliment. :) Hope you like this next chapter too!  
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**a fan: I agree with you completely! I also think that it's more fun to light fireworks off yourself than to watch someone else do them. Randall is a pretty scary monster, I agree. I think that Sulley would scare me the most with that loud roar of his though. That's a good prediction as to why Doom is picking on Fungus. You'll find out more about his motives soon. Thanks for reading!  
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**Mickfang27: Yeah, Doom finally appears! I bet you wondered where he's been this whole time, huh? Hehe, I'm glad that you thought that the chapter was awesome. :D It's cute the way Randall cares so much for Fungus, don't you think? They make good friends in my opinion. Same thoughts here about Mike and Randall. I'm not sure if I said this to you before or not, but I'm going to write a bit of a MikexRandall fic that will turn into SulleyxRandall after I finish this one because I have no life and spend way too much time writing. :P  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Doom is a bastard, isn't he? Do you think that he'll continue picking on poor Fungus? Thank you so much for reading this!  
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**Mysterious: I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! I hope that you like this one too. And yay for nyan supremes! *high fives you*  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Hehe, I'm glad that I can't get rid of you easily. *hugs* Ooo, awesome, I'm glad that SulleyxRandall is your OTP! I can't decide if JohnnyxChet or SulleyxRandall is mine now. MU has changed my opinion of the monsters fandom, lol. Do you have any other favorite pairings? I'd feel bad for anyone who might end up with Mike too. *shivers and pushes Celia toward him just in case* I'm definitely going to start calling myself Randy and see where that goes. Do you have any other nicknames? The thought of Johnny and Randall together is revolting to me too even though I do love Johnny. :P I can only see him with Chet for some reason after watching the film. And ah, well, Randall might get beat up on a bit in this story because I'm a meanie author! *hints* Funk needs lots of hugs! Poor guy. Thank you so much for the comment!  
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**Chapter XXIII  
**

So it _was_ Doom and his gang of cutthroats who beat Fungus up! Alright, I suppose that they're not exactly "cutthroats", but anyone who has the nerve to insult or hurt my only friend in this entire university immediately gets his or her name written down in my little black book. Looking at the way Fungus' right eye is swelling and the way the ugly purple bruise mars his skin makes me sick. I clench and unclench my hands, watching my knuckles turn white as I finally reach a decision. I'm going to put a stop to this.

I kick back my lunch chair and get to my feet, looking around the lunchroom for any sign of Doom and his gang. Ignoring the loud screech that the metal chair makes against the floor along with the annoyed looks I get from the monsters sitting closest to my table, I tell Fungus simply, "I'm gonna go talk to them. They have no right to beat you up like that, those bloody thugs..."

I expect Fungus to thank me or give a grateful look as he often does, so I'm surprised when he leaps to his feet and grabs onto my wrist, shaking his head at me violently. Voice thick with emotion, Fungus stammers more than usual, "N-no! Please d-don't. I don't want you to talk to them."

"Calm down, Funk!" I order him, not liking the way the little monster's eyes fill with terror or the way his hand trembles slightly. Still scanning the room for a squid-like black figure hovering in midair with an unnerving blood red eye at the center of his body, I go on, "I'm not going to drag you deeper into this if that's what you're worried about. I'm gonna put a stop to it so you never get beat up again. Once is enough. Any idea where those bastards are? I don't see them anywhere."

"Randy, don't talk to them!" Fungus pleads with me, looking desperate at this point for reasons I don't know. He reaches out and grabs my slender wrist with both orange hands. His skin is scorching hot against my cold scales, but I don't pull away. Fungus, close to tears, adds, "They're r-really strong..."

"And I'm not?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at Fungus and feeling a little insulted. "I could take care of them easily if I could only find them."

Fungus' grip tightens on my wrist and he shakes his head again, saying, "That's not what I meant. I...I need you here with me right _now_. If you w-want to help me, just stay here."

After one more quick once over of the cafeteria, I'm forced to admit that Doom and his gang are nowhere to be seen. I take Fungus' words into consideration and scrutinize his face. I'm not sure why, but he really doesn't want me to talk to Doom. I feel like there's an underlying reason for this, but I can see that I'm not gonna get that reason out of Fungus. It seems wrong to let a situation like this go without someone getting punished, but the desperate look in Fungus' dark eyes softens my resolve just enough for me to give in to him.

"I don't know why you don't want me to help, but fine. You win. I won't talk to them this time, but if this happens again, I'm gonna talk to Doom or I'm taking you to the hospital wing. Got that?" I ask Fungus intently. The bean-shaped monster lets out a sigh of relief and nods. Glancing down at Fungus' hands still clamped onto my wrist, I debate aloud, "Maybe I should take you to the hospital wing anyway. You feel like you're burning up, Funk. You have a fever or something?"

"No, you're just really cold," Fungus informs me before blushing a shade of dark crimson and letting go of my wrist, adding, "S-sorry."

I wave Fungus' apology away and sit back down, muffling a yawn as I remember that Sullivan's hand felt simmering to my touch as well. Guess I really am cold-blooded compared to these other monsters. Speaking of Sullivan, there he is with his group of wannabe scarers. The turquoise monster's table is full as usually. Terri and Terry, Art, Scott, Don, a few other students I don't recognize, and Wazowski are all sitting at his table. Wait, did I just say Wazowski?! I thought that Sullivan hated that one-eyed cretin's guts!

Fungus follows my gaze to Sullivan's table and narrows his eyes at them, telling me, "I still don't trust Sullivan, Randy. I think that he's up to something bad. Look at him and the others over there. They look like they're scheming or coming up with some evil plot to take over the school."

"Or they could just be talking about how Sullivan bested me in the scare routine yesterday. You have to admit that's more likely than your theory," I point out flatly, my eyes still on Sullivan. My gaze darkens as I watch Sullivan and Wazowski conversing with each other. A spark of something red hot and furious wells up inside me. I don't like them talking together. Sullivan is nothing like that arrogant, self-absorbed imbecile. Needing to voice this thought aloud, I mutter, "Since when are Sullivan and Wazowski friends?"

"I d-don't know, Randy," Fungus shakes his head at me, clearly not knowing the answer to my question. "I just know that they're up to something though. I think that they're plotting against the school because Dean Hardscrabble won't let them into her special scaring program! Aren't all of those monsters rejects of the scare program?"

I grit my teeth together as I realize that Sullivan and Wazowski are sitting right next to each other. Geez, like sitting at a table together wasn't already bad enough! Having to admit that Fungus has a point, I reply, "You're right; they are. I don't like Sullivan and Wazowski together. I don't trust that stupid cretin."

"I don't trust either of them," Fungus replies whole heartedly. There's a moment of silence before he leans over and whispers directly into my ear, his warm breath hitting the side of my neck, "Look! Sullivan is staring at you, see? I w-wonder what he wants from you!"

Sure enough, the azure eyes of my rival are focused on me or something directly behind me. Trying to act inconspicuous, I glance behind myself. Nope, nothing there. Nothing in front of me either. Deciding to play dumb, I avoid meeting Sullivan's eyes and instead look at Fungus.

"Maybe we should go now," Fungus says uneasily, clearly unnerved. "Science class starts in about ten minutes."

I actually don't have a problem with sitting here and letting Sullivan stare at me all he wants to, hopefully with green-eyed jealousy in his eyes, but Fungus has already stood up and is walking away with our crumb-filled lunch tray in his bright orange hands. I allow myself one look at Sullivan out from under my eyelids and then quickly glance away before Sullivan can realize that I was even looking at him. Tucking my science supplies under my arm, I start after Fungus and catch up to him easily. The two of us drop our tray into the bin containing all of the other dirty trays and then start to weave around the groups of monsters filing into the cafeteria.

"You know where the science class is?" I ask Fungus as we step out into the hallway, not about to get my map out unless it's a necessity.

"Yes, I looked it up last night!" Fungus stutters as he tries to talk too quickly. He slows down a bit and adds, "It's on this floor actually."

"Well, at least that will save us a bit of time," I admit, deciding to be optimistic for once as the two of us wind down the hallways, avoiding other monsters and the snide looks they give us as we turn every corner. Fungus and I are the nerds here. It's clear that we don't fit in with our thick-rimmed glasses and unique personalities. Eh, who cares what everyone else thinks though? As long as I have one monster I can call a friend on this campus, I'll be satisfied for the rest of the year.

As I continue to trail Fungus down the hallway, a sudden thought occurs to me. I still haven't taken care of the homework Dean Hardscrabble assigned me for my scaring class. I decide to take care of it right now and murmur in a smooth voice, "You know, I just realized that I lied about something earlier. I actually do have homework for my scaring class."

"Oh," Fungus says, blank-faced. It's obvious that he's not sure why I'm telling him this. After a moment, the helpful little monster asks, "Can I help you with it?"

"Actually, you can. See, all scarers have to have an assistants on the scare floor to help them rotate through doors and collect the scream canisters," I explain even though I'm mostly sure that Fungus already knows this although there's really no telling with the speckled monster. "So what do you say? Want to be my scare partner? It's for the rest of the year and, if we're successful, it'll be a partnership for the rest of our lives. Don't answer me without thinking it through."

Fungus' eyes light up at my words and he looks as if I've just offered him a million dollars, not a job working as my assistant. Smiling excitedly up at me, Fungus stammers, "D-do you really mean it? You want m-m-me to be your scare partner?"

"No, I was talking to the invisible person next to you just now," I sigh, wishing that Fungus would stop demeaning himself. The little monster's face falls and I realize that he's taking my sarcasm seriously! Oh god. Rolling my eyes, I quickly shake my head and say, "Of _course_ I was talking to you, Funk! Who else would I ask to be my scare partner?"

"Well, I...I don't know!" Fungus says, face lighting up all over again. He smiles up at me with contentment as he says, "I'm very honored that you would choose me to be your scare partner out of everyone at the school. Of course I accept your offer!"

"Great. That's one more thing out of the way then. I'm all caught up with my arithmetic, history, and scare homework now.. Of course, I'll probably get a load of science homework after our next class though," I admit dryly before realizing that Fungus and I are walking into a dead end. Fungus still has that ecstatic grin on his face and looks like he's walking through a dream. Frowning, I state, "Say, you're leading us into a dead end, Funk. Is there some secret passageway at the end of this hall or do I need to get my map out?"

"Hm? Oh! I'm so s-sorry! I forgot where we were going," Fungus admits, blushing again.

"Obviously," I point out before folding my stick-like arms over my chest, asking, "Do you or do you not know where the science classroom is?

"I do know where it is. We're just going to have to backtrack a little. S-sorry," Fungus stammers, looking truly apologetic as he turns and leads me back the way we came.

I trail after Fungus like before, and this time, we actually manage to reach our destination since Fungus pays attention to where we're headed. Once we reach the classroom, we duck inside the open doorway and take in our surroundings. The word that immediately pops into my head when I observe the science classroom is bizarre. It's definitely an odd looking classroom with walls the color of mossy green and carpeted gray-flecked floors. Odd models of skeletal figures are placed around the room along with posters depicting creatures and substances I've never seen before. Feeling slightly inferior in a room with such complicated looking objects, I slither over to the desk at the very back of the room and claim it for myself before anyone else can take it.

"Randy," Fungus whispers, leaning over to me from across the aisle as he sits down by my side. I turn to him and he points to an odd skeletal display placed next to his desk. The skeleton has a strange distorted looking skull that is clearly making Fungus uncomfortably. Shivering, he edges away from the display and asks, "W-what exactly is that thing?"

"The skeleton of some extinct species of monster?" I suggest with a shrug of my shoulders. "Really, I have no idea."

Fungus nods stiffly and sits at the very edge of his chair. I roll my eyes and am about to suggest us moving to a different part of the classroom, but then I see that the opposite back corner desks in the classroom have already been taken and the rest of the desks are filling up quickly as monsters stream into the room for their first science class. Looks like we're gonna be staying here after all.

Just to get myself prepared, I prop my science book open in front of myself and start skimming through the first few pages of it since I have nothing better to do. After a few minutes, I sense a stare on my face and glance up to find none other than Wazowski smirking down at me.

"Hey, four-eyes," the numbskull starts out, his one eye twinkling. "Are you so slow that you have to read the science chapter before and during science class to understand it? It's not really any of my business, but if that's the case, I feel really sorry for you. It's bad enough just having to read the chapter one time let alone two whole times! Why, I think that I would just drop out of the university altogether if I had a mental disability like that.

"Can it, Wazowski," I mutter, glaring daggers at him. I'm not in the mood to start a fight this morning, but that lime green cyclops has a way of getting on my nerves.

"Leave Randy alone!" Fungus chimes in from the desk next to me.

Wazowski's expression brightens and he stares at me incredulously, asking, "Wow, do you really have your own personal slave, Randall? That's low..._really_ low."

I narrow my eyes into slits and grind my teeth together. Wazowski can insult me all he wants, but when he starts to insult Fungus, that's drawing the line.

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_Review please! :)  
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	25. Chapter XXIV

**honorstudent97: Haha, I will forever love the "This guy hates charity!" line. xD Chet is just wayyyy too excited about that. I also love the part where Johnny tries to get Mike to join the mail room. It's so ironic because he DOES end up in the mail room, you know? I wanna know what happened to Chet and Johnny after they graduated though. :( Oh well, at least there's going to be a third monsters movie, right? And yay! I'm so glad that FF and dA are unblocked in Beijing!  
**

**I-Like-Sulley: Yeah, eventually they're going to do it, but don't worry, I'll give you a warning so you can skip that chapter if you want to. :P Well...Randall likes Fungus, but I think that Fungus like-likes Randall. xD Hope you like this chapter!**

**XxSgt KuluxX: Never apologize for sounding like a broken record because I absolutely love getting compliments on this story! *hugs* I'm so glad that you're still enjoying it! Randall definitely needs to protect Fungus because the little guy can't stand up for himself, you know? I see Mike as this really annoying little guy. He wouldn't ever physically hurt someone, but he can annoy the hell out of them, haha. What do you think about Mike? Here's the update! :D  
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**Nymris: Yeah, it definitely looks like Randall is going to explode at Mike in this chapter! Let's hope that someone stops them before they take it too far. Thanks about the fireworks! I really hope that there aren't going to be any tonight. *crosses fingers* And yay, I'm glad that you think that my Randall is IC! For some reason, I see Randall as the type who mostly keeps his comments to himself in his early life, but starts cussing a lot in the MI era. xD  
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**Remy: Mike is definitely pushing it! And yeah...I'm not much of a Mike fan. :P How about you? Something about him just sort of sets me off, I guess. I'm glad that you like what I've done with Randall and Fungus! I'm actually a bit of a RandallxFunk shipper. How do you feel about these two? I'll give you some hints about what happens with Randall and his mom. Let's just say that they have related health issues. Oh, and, well, this is a tragedy, so it _does_ have a bit of a tragic ending. *hides* Don't worry, it's not that bad though! Thanks so much for reading this!  
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**a fan: I know, right? I would never be able to put up with Mike for so long either. Mike just doesn't know when to quit. =/ Randall and Mike almost get into a fight in this chapter. Glad to hear that you're interested in Doom! Do you think that he's decent for an OC then? I usually end up hating my OCs. I'm sort of ambivalent about Doom, I guess. Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: I'm glad that you thought that it was awesome! Don't worry, it doesn't sound lame at all. Mike and Randall almost get into a physical fight in this chapter. I actually like biology too, but I never liked chemistry or physics much, probably because there's so much math involved in those two subjects and I'm not really a math fan. I agree; Fungus and Randall make cute study buddies! They'll end up as roommates later in this story. Thanks for the comment!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Randall is at his limits with Mike! You'll see what he does in this chapter! Do you think that those two will get into a fight soon? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: Aw man, I'm sorry again for how you got banned! *hugs you* Is it a temporary ban or one of those lifelong ones? I remember when I got banned for the first time on a site I really enjoyed and I was so upset. Thanks for liking the last chapter! Let me know what you think of this one. :D  
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**xBearingSecretsx: I love how protective Randall is of Funk too! :) They make a cute pair! If RandallxSulley didn't exist, I'd definitely be a hardcore RandallxFunk shipper. Randy almost gets into trouble, but a certain someone stops him in this chapter. BooxRandall? Hm...I haven't given much thought to that pairing before. I always think of Boo as a little kid who loves Sulley, lol. I guess that there are a lot of BooxRandall fics floating around though. And ugh, I wouldn't like being called Mikey either. Nobody likes Mike. :P No need to feel evil! I always end up torturing my favorite characters. Fungus says thank you for the hugs. :P  
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**Chapter XXIV  
**

A long silence falls while I grit my teeth, ball my fists, and attempt to keep my temper in check. Wazowski has been pushing me more and more by the day. The blood sizzles through my veins as I stare up indignantly at the shameless imbecile perched on the corner of my desk. How he even has the nerve to sit on the edge of my desk is something I don't know. If he goes away now and leaves both Fungus and me alone for the rest of class, then no one will get hurt. However, if he doesn't, well, let's just say things could get ugly.

"So how is it that cheap guys like you manage to buy slaves, huh, Randall?" Wazowski presses, clearly not realizing that he's pushed me to my limit. If he's gonna insult me, then fine, but he isn't going to continue to insult Fungus like this. Unaware of my festering anger, Wazowski continues on, "I thought that you were too poor to even replace those decade old glasses of yours."

I can't help it; my temper snaps. I lunge forward and would've caught the lime green cyclops in a suffocating grip around his neck if a huge shaggy blue blur hadn't whirled across the room at that very moment. Blinking once to steady the blurring colors in front of me, I open my eyes again and let everything sharpen into focus. Sullivan has pulled Wazowski away from my desk and is holding him firmly by the shoulder. Wazowski looks disappointed. It's as if he wanted me to try to suffocate him. Actually, that was probably part of his plan. After all, I could easily get dismissed from the school for an attempted suffocation.

"What's going on over here?" Sullivan asks, looking from Wazowski to me to Fungus. He ends up looking at Wazowski again, frowning and accusing, "Mike, were you bothering them?"

"Me? Bothering someone?" Wazowski laughs as if this possibility is completely absurd. "Why on earth would I ever want to be a bother, Sulley?"

I frown, feeling a green monster of jealousy rise in the pit of my stomach. So Wazowski and Sullivan already have nicknames for each other, huh? I still don't see how the two could have gone from sworn enemies to decent friends in just a few days. I stare at both of them darkly as the door to the science classroom opens and Mrs. Jones, the history teacher, steps inside. Now wanting to get caught out of their seats or get any of us into trouble, Sullivan takes Wazowski's wrist and drags him to the front of the classroom. They both sit down at empty desks and smile politely at Mrs. Jones as she takes a seat behind the desk at the front of the room. She has something in her hands, but I'm too busy watching Sullivan and Wazowski to worry about it right now.

"I think that you're right. Those two are up to no good," I lean across the aisle between the rows of desks to whisper these words to Fungus.

Looking glad that I've finally taken his side, Fungus nods rapidly and whispers, "I agree! We'll have to k-keep a closer eye on t-them."

I would have continued to talk to Fungus, but Mrs. Jones has a shrewd look on her face and is already scanning the room to figure out who is and who isn't paying attention to her. Several of the monsters look tired and have their heads resting on their desks as they wait for class to start. Mrs. Jones clears his throat loudly, causing everyone to jerk to attention and then focus their gaze at the front of the room. Only after every eye is focused forward does Mrs. Jones begin to speak.

"Good morning, class," she starts out and then pauses, clearly expecting an answer. A half-hearted, less than cheery reply of good morning echoes throughout the classroom. Not looking too impressed, Mrs. Jones goes on to explain, "Welcome to your science class for this year. In this class, you will learn many things. Unlike some of your other classes, this class will be interactive and not just a reading class. Although I expect you to read all of chapter one of your science textbook by next Wednesday, that is going to be your homework and not your assignment for this morning. Please take a moment and turn to page twenty in your book and find the recipe that says 'Making Slime'."

A few muttered groans mingle in the air amidst all the sounds of crinkling pages as everyone turns to page twenty. I am one of the first to reach the correct page. Skimming the page, I realize that it contains directions on how to make slime. I don't know why anyone would want to make slime when you can just buy it at the store for a cheap price. Isn't that the practical thing to do?

"Has everyone found the correct page?" Mrs. Jones asks after the crinkling of turning papers dies down. A simultaneous nod can be seen throughout the classroom. Mrs. Jones smiles and continues on, "Great. As you can see, there are directions on how to make slime on the page in front of you. I am sure that most of you are wondering why on earth you might want to make slime. Can anyone tell me the answer to this?" A long silence falls and no hands are raised. Mrs. Jones prompts desperately, "Anyone at all?"

Art, the fuzzy light and dark purple striped monster shaped in the form of an arch, decides to make a wild attempt at guessing and says, "So we can get hands on experience with something?"

"Well, yes, I suppose that is one reason," Mrs. Jones replies, Art's answer clearly not the one she was looking for. "As you may or may not know, slime can be quite useful in the monster world. Making your own slime takes time, but it will be fresh and more potent than the slime you would find at a store. One of the main uses for slime is storage. Slime creates a thick, impenetrable barrier around anything that you want to keep safe. Today, you will work on making storage slime. Unfortunately, it isn't an easy process and will end up taking two classes to complete. You will start the slime today and finish it up next week. I would like all of you to work through the seventh direction on page twenty. Are we all clear on this?"

There is a nod throughout the classroom before Wazowski - it figures that he wouldn't know what's going on - frowns and points out, "But it says here that we're going to need gel, water, and silica in order to make the slime. I don't have any of those things with me."

"Don't worry, Mr. Wazowski. I've already taken care of everything," Mrs. Jones says, giving the cretin a smile much to my disapproval. Motioning to the items scattered across her desk, Mrs. Jones continues on, "All of the ingredients you will find necessary to make your slime are already on this desk. The silica is kept in the green bowl, the water in the purple bowl, and the gel in the red bowl. The orange crate on the floor contains measuring devices and different sized storage containers. You may each pick out one of these to store your slime in. This task is officially beginning."

With that said, Mrs. Jones steps back from her desk to observe as all of the students immediately get to their feet and hurry toward the desk at the front of the classroom to get first pick at a storage container. Having learned a long time ago that pushing and shoving isn't worth first pick, I remain in my seat and glance quickly over the recipe up to direction number seven. I catch a glint of red out of the corner of my eye and notice that Fungus also is remaining at his desk.

"What do you think about this class so far?" I whisper over to Fungus, knowing that Mrs. Jones can't hear what I'm saying because of the babble going on in the front of the room. "Seems pointless to me. I'll just buy slime from the store and not worry if it's as 'potent as it can be' and whatnot."

Fungus' brow crinkles in amusement and he nods, clearly thinking that I'm right as he says, "I agree, although I suppose that some hands on experience might be good for us."

"Guess you're right," I admit grudgingly as I wait for the mass of students gathered at the front of the room to clear. Already, someone has bumped into someone else and there's a big pile of slime on the floor that everyone does their best to avoid. Of course, it's only a few minutes before a female monster accidentally slips on it.

Since the situation from earlier is still bothering me, I turn to Fungus and say in a dead serious tone, "Don't pay any attention to Wazowksi. He's just being an arrogant prick as always. You okay?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Fungus quickly reassures me before frowning and asking, "W-what about you though? You seemed rather upset earlier."

"I'm fine. I just hate Wazowski picking on my friends. Picking on me is one thing, but doing more than that is crossing the line," I say, my eyes unintentionally searching the room for the one-eyed cretin since I just so happen to be talking about him. He's already back at his desk and is measuring out ingredients for his slime concoction while chatting away to the neighbor at his right.

Fungus' expression immediately lights up and he asks, "You mean that you c-consider us friends?"

"Well, yeah," I point out as if this should be extremely obvious. "What else would we be? Rivals? Enemies?"

Fungus shrugs and blushes in pleasure at my remark. My praise, something rare but something I extend toward the speckled monster every once in a while, really seems to boost his confidence. Unfortunately, at that moment, Mrs. Jones turns her gaze to the back of the room and notices that the two of us are still seated. Frowning, she says in a loud voice that causes everyone to turn and stare at us, "Are you boys going to participate in class today or are you off doing your own thing?"

Since the area at the front of the classroom has mainly cleared out at this point, I reluctantly get to my feet and slink down the aisle to the desk containing all of the colorful bowls. Fungus trails after me, both of us the objects of contempt by our peers. I seem to have created a lot of enemies just from getting the second best score in the scare demonstration yesterday. I was an oddball to between with, but now that I've posed myself as a threat to everyone striving to become scarer of the year, I've become someone easy to hate. Oh well. It's not like I ever wanted to be elected student of the month anyway. Monsters like Sullivan should take on that role.

Once I reach the front of the classroom, I grab a clear, plastic container in the shape of a square. After that, I carelessly drop some measuring devices into it before grabbing another bowl to put my slime, water, and silica in. Once I've fetched all of my items, I return to my desk and read the first step carefully. I'm supposed to measure exactly one cup of water into my storage container. Glad that I happened to grab a one cup measuring device earlier, I quickly fill it with water and dump it into my cubical container. That wasn't so hard. Now onto step two.

Step two is just as easy as step one. Now all I have to do is measure out a cup of the gel and combine it with the water. I reuse the same measuring cup I used earlier and dump the gel and the water together before turning back to my science textbook once again.

Step three is where things start to get tricky. The book informs me that this step is very important before it goes on to explain that I need to stir the water and the gel together every few minutes for thirty minutes to get the consistency of the substance just right. I pay close attention to the clock and stir the slime three times to the left and then three times to the right before waiting for three minutes and then repeating what I did just before that. This goes on for the next thirty minutes. It is a boring process and one that forces you to completely focus on the task at hand. At least I've managed to complete it at this point. Now I can move on to step four.

Looking down, I read that I'm supposed to add one teaspoon of silica to my slime mixture. I rifle through the measuring devices I gathered up earlier, but don't find a teaspoon among them. Apparently, luck has decided to desert me at this point. Leaving my potion unguarded, I slither back up the aisle to the room as quickly as I can, very aware that several eyes have turned to me. Ignoring them, I search through the bin until I find the teaspoon I'm looking for. I hurry back to my slime only to find my cubical storage container on its side, slime leaking all over my desk, soaking into my science textbook, and even dripping onto the floor.

My heart stops beating temporarily as I stare at the mess before my eyes. I could have sworn that I had not left my storage container at the very edge of my desk. Eyes darkening, I realize that someone else must be behind this felony. Hoping that my three-eyed friend saw what happened, I flick my eyes over at Fungus. He immediately meets my gaze and points to his right with a slender fingertip. I whirl around in that direction, only to see Doom floating calmly away from my desk.

Now that I know who is behind all of this, I am even more tempted to comfort Doom about beating Fungus up and about his unfair hatred toward me. Unfortunately, I did give my word to Fungus that I wouldn't say anything to Doom and I'm a monster of my word. Well, most of the time anyway.

As I'm standing at the edge of my desk, still looking at my potion in shock, a tall, dark shadow falls over me. That could only be the shadow of one monster - the teacher.

"What happened here?" Mrs. Jones asks in a clipped voice as she motions toward the ruins of my slime. I don't speak since I know that telling Mrs. Jones I'm not to blame for this will only get me into more trouble. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Mrs .Jones says, "There is a bathroom down the hallway to your right just outside of this classroom. I want you to go there, get some paper towel, and then come back and clean this mess up. I also want you to know that failing to properly produce five experiments by the end of the year will automatically get you an F."

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_Review please! :)  
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	26. Chapter XXV

**honorstudent97: Gotta love irony! Karma was a bitch for Johnny in the movie. :P Omg, I am so excited for Finding Nemo 2! I love that movie! I even have Finding Nemo vinyl clings on my wall, haha. Do you have any favorite characters from Finding Nemo? I really love all Pixar movies! And aw, that's so nice of you for deciding to follow this even during your stay in Beijing!  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Haha, that quote reminds me of something that I would say. xD And yeah, Doom and Mike are causing so much trouble for Randall, poor thing. I'm so glad that you liked the chapter and I hope that you like this one too!  
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**Nymris: Yeah, poor Randall has two evil dudes on his case now! Of course, I think that I'd take Mike over Doom any old day. How about you? And omg, I just imagined coating my backpack with slime! You've got a good point though - it would keep the spiders away! I hate spiders so much. *shivers*  
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**Remy: Hehe, that last chapter was kind of intense even though Randall and Mike didn't end up in a fully fledged fight. Just out of curiosity, who do you think would win in a fight? I put my money on Randall, but you never know. I know what you mean about Mike not being your favorite or least favorite. Who do you think your least favorite character is? Aw, well, I hope that you end up liking some pairings after reading my stories. :) I'm glad to hear that you'll stick with this story despite it being a tragedy. Randall goes through a lot of tragic evens in this, poor thing. And omg, a slime fight between Randall and Funk would be so cute! I love your idea! Thanks so much for reading this.  
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**a fan: I'm sorry for not explaining what OC means before! It stands for original character, which means that it's a character that you made up and that's not in the movie. I'm glad that you think that Doom is a good villain though. I tried to make him a good antagonist. I agree about Randy's science class! It does sound like fun! I always had to do textbook reading for my science class. It was really boring. Nice prediction! There will be a confrontation between Randall and Doom in the future!  
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**jade4563: Wow, thank you so much for such a nice review! It really brightened my day. :) I can't believe that you've been sitting glued to the computer reading it, lol. I'm surprised that you didn't get bored to death by the detail. :P But anyway, you'll have to let me know what you think of MU, okay? I really loved it, but everyone has a different opinion on it. And yes, there is definitely something special about our lizard love! What do you like most about Randall? Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Hehe, were you hoping that Randall was going to choke Mike? Mike definitely deserved it, that's for sure! Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**Mysterious: Aw, that sucks about the permanent ban, but there are ways around it. *looks around sneakily* Have you tried getting a new account by using a proxy? Let me know what you think of this chapter! :)  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Same here! I wish that I had that close of a friend too, but I don't have any friends irl, so yeah. =/ I know, right? How can you NOT ship RandallxSulley? It's obvious from their chemistry in MI that they had something going on there. ;) Oh god, I get what you mean about that BooxRandall story putting the pairing into your head. I've read fics that I've later regretted reading for those reasons. Doom is a bitch! He needs to go die in a hole with Mike. :P Thanks for the comment!  
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**Chapter XXV  
**

I ignore Mrs. Jones' biting words and the snide looks I receive from my classmates as I turn sharply and slink down the isle toward the door of the science classroom, keeping my eyes locked resolutely on the ground. It's unfair of Mrs. Jones to blame me for spilling my container of slime when I wasn't even the one who did it. Unfortunately, there is no proof that one-eyed Doom was the one who overturned my vile besides for Fungus' and my word on it. From what I know about Mrs. Jones, she'll sooner believe that a human child is present in her classroom than whatever Fungus and I tell her.

Not exactly in a hurry to return to the classroom filled with scornful students all smirking at my humiliation, I take my time walking through the hallway. Most of the monsters must currently be at class since the halls are surprisingly quiet and mostly empty for once. I enjoy my temporary solitude and find the bathroom at the end of the hall just where Mrs. Jones told me it would be. Creaking the door open, I step inside it and find that this bathroom is small and square-shaped. It lacks the multiple mirrors the bathroom on the fifth floor had and also lacks the cleanliness of that bathroom. This room has dirt on the floor, toilet paper strewn all over, and the single mirror on the wall is cracked.

Careful to step around the toilet paper lying all over the floor, I pick my way over to the counter and grab several pieces of paper towel. I wad them up into a ball and then exit the bathroom once again. Realizing that I'm walking too fast for two reasons - I don't particularly want to return to the sneers of the others students and I need to save my energy for gym - I slow my pace until I'm almost dragging my feet against the floor. Despite this, the door to the science classroom seems to be growing larger much too quickly.

Luckily, an obstacle which proves to work as a distraction presents itself to me. Don Carlton, the second-year university student who slightly resembles a walrus with his bushy brown mustache, waves a hand cheerfully in greeting to me and stops to talk to me, saying, "Hello, Randy. I haven't seen you since the day I rode on the bus with you. How are you liking the university?"

"It's...fine," I reply without much thought to what I'm saying. Don raises an eyebrow at me, clearly waiting for more of an explanation. I go on and admit, "I like the learning and most of my classes. Some of the students, mostly Wazowski, are less than serious about their studies though. I had to partner with the one-eyed cretin for history. Let's just say that didn't go well. Plus, my only friend already got beaten up and it's only the third day of school. Guess that's just the way things are around here though."

"It's not so bad once you get used to it. Most of the students are nice. You just have to give them the chance to get to know you. Mike Wazowski may be an exception though. From what I've seem of him, he's an arrogant little fellow who will get put in his place in time," Don says. His smile fades slightly and he points out, "You said that you only have one friend. I thought that you and Scott got along?"

"I wouldn't say it's that we don't get along. We just don't hang out in the same groups anymore. Scott hangs out with the rejects and I've been labeled as the know-it-all nerd," I point out, rolling my eyes.

Don raises an eyebrow at me in confusion and asks blankly, "The rejects?"

I blush, realizing that the term I've used to label Sullivan's group with sounds derogatory. Owing Don an explanation, I admit, "You know, the group with everyone who didn't make it into the headmistress' scare program after school on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Sullivan seems to be the leader of it and Terri and Terry Perry, Scott, Art, Wazowski, and a few others hang out with them."

"I'm actually part of that group," Don says passively, not taking offense to my words thankfully. "You could join the group if you wanted to, I'm sure. Everyone is nice enough. You just have to overcome your shyness and introduce yourself to them. We're already planning for the great scare games at the end of the year. You could help us if you want."

I look at Don as if he's just started speaking in Chinese. I don't think that he gets it. You either automatically become part of a group or you're not welcome in it. You don't invite yourself into a group! Besides, what makes Don think I _want_ to hang out with the rejects anyway? Scott seems, well, stuck on Sullivan. Although I don't know Art, he seems like an oddball. Terri and Terry Perry I can't comment on. It's well known that I need to keep a good fifty meters away from Wazowski at all times. Guess I wouldn't mind talking to Sullivan a bit more, but in no way, shape, or form am I going to become a member of his little fan club. That's just not the way I do things. I do things my way.

"Then again, you could stay a loner," Don says, judging from my expression that I don't particularly care for his suggestion. "Anyway, I've got to run to computer class. I'm already late. Talk to you later. Good luck with whatever class you're going to next."

"It's gym," I say more to myself than to Don since he's already hurrying down the hallway, looking at the watch on his wrist with a frown on his face. Stopping abruptly in front of the door to the science classroom, I add, "And knowing me, I'm gonna need even more luck for gym than for science."

Supposing that I've procrastinated for long enough, I push open the door to science classroom and walk straight down the aisle to my desk. I've already resigned myself to failing this first assignment since there's no way I can possibly remake my slime in the remaining ten minutes of class. Kneeling on the floor, I start blotting up sticky bits of ooze sticking to the carpet. Luckily, it comes up easily and the carpet is clean in no less than three minutes. After that, I get to my feet to clean my desk, only to find that my desk has already been cleaned.

Surprised, I stare at my desk with narrowed eyes. My container of slime has been righted and a new portion of completed slime is sitting in my container. My spilled slime has been discarded and my desk has been wiped clean. Odd. Who would've bothered to do something like this for me? I'm not complaining since this is how my slime would've looked like by now if one-eyed Doom hadn't interfered, but still.

I sit down on the edge of my desk and am hit with the answer like a slap to my face. Turning, I fix Fungus with my emerald green eyes. He pretends to be busy reading his science textbook, but his eyes aren't moving and I know that he's just trying not to give himself away. The right corner of my mouth quirks up in a small smile. It pays to have a friend who happens to be a genius at art and science.

"Alright, class, science for today has come to an end," Mrs. Jones announces a few minutes later. "Although we've had a few incidents with slime getting all over the place, I'd say that you all did a good job today. Most of you will be ready to start on part two of this assignment next week. As I mentioned earlier, your homework for this week is to read chapter one of your textbook. I know that fifty pages seems like a lot, but if you split your work over the weekend, you should be able to handle it just fine. You're all dismissed."

The class rises from their desks in unison and chatter breaks out throughout the room. I pile my notepad, textbook, and pencils into my arms and then make a straight line for Fungus. Standing over him, I point out, "I know what you did. Thanks. You didn't have to help me, you know."

Fungus blushes a shade of keep red and asks curiously, "How did you k-know it was me? I didn't think I was _that _obvious."

"Think about it, Funk. Who else would wanna help the four-eyed freak, hm?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Fungus. The bean-shaped monster glances around the room for another monster who might have been willing to help me out. He finds no one there, not unsurprisingly. Smirking, I say, "Exactly. C'mon, let's go."

Not in mood to delay, I capture Fungus' wrist in between two webbed fingers and lead him to the front of the classroom with me. As we approach the classroom door, Fungus comes to an abrupt halt and I practically yank his arm out of his arm socket before realizing that he's come to a stop. Frowning, I come to a halt as well and give him the what's up look.

"Randy, Doom is s-staring at you," Fungus whispers in my ear, true fear lighting up his features.

My head jerks up and I realize that Fungus is right. The strange squid-like pitch black monster with the evil red eye is sending me a murderous look from the classroom doorway. I meet his stare defiantly in an almost challenging way. After he beat Fungus up earlier, I want to confront him and figure out his problem.

"Look, Funk, I know that I promised you that I wouldn't talk to him, but I think that I should. The monster's being a real jerk," I say, taking a step forward and pulling a reluctant Fungus with me.

"No! Randy, you promised," Fungus whines, yanking back fiercely on my arm, his expression one of severity.

"Fine," I mutter, allowing Fungus to pull me to a stop as one-eyed Doom turns his sharp eye away from me and disappears into the hallway. Once he turns the corner, Fungus and I resume our walk out of the classroom. Suddenly, I realize why Fungus doesn't want me talking to Doom. Turning to the smaller red monster with an insulted look on my face, I point out, "You think that Doom would beat me up in a fight, don't you? I'm not that powerless, you know. I could take him on."

"Pardon me for saying this, but that is_ not_ a good idea," Fungus shakes his head at me vigorously, his words polite as always despite the amount of emotion behind him.

"And why is it not a good idea?" I ask, daring Fungus to call me weak until I realize there's another reason why Doom and I shouldn't get into a fight. Frowning, I answer my own question, "Because fighting is against the rules here. Right. Okay, you win." Fungus sighs with relief and then tries to pull me to a stop yet again. Getting a little exasperated with all of this stopping and starting by now, I jerk my head downward to look Fungus full in the face, asking, "What now?!"

Apparently, my change in demeanor frightens Fungus because he flinches away from me and stammers meekly, "Well, I...I just wanted to point out that the computer room is the other way."

"Computers? What do computers have to do with anything?" I ask Fungus blankly before realizing what Fungus is trying to say. "Oh, I get it. You have computers instead of gym, don't you?"

"Yes. Computers are on Mondays and Wednesday," Fungus says, looking at me out of the corner of one of his eye. "You don't have computers next?"

"Nope, I'm stuck with gym. Guess we're gonna have to split up then," I point out the obvious since the computer classroom is on the opposite side of the school than the gym. "I'll see you around."

Fungus looks tempted to follow me despite the fact that he doesn't have gym class next, so I quickly step forward through the crowd and let myself get swallowed up by the swarms of monsters flooding this way and that. I appreciate Fungus' loyalty, but I don't need an escort. I will admit that I'm dreading gym double the amount that I was dreading it before. Without Fungus around, I'll be the only geeky misfit in the entire class. If we have to have partners, something that happens a lot in gym from what I hear, I'm gonna end up all alone or with someone like Wazowski.

If doing well at the university and achieving top grades was not so important to me, I would have ditched gym. Unfortunately, both things are important to me and so I resign myself to trudging down the hall to the elevator and hesitantly sealing my doom by pressing the button that will lead me to the floor the gym is on. I've been to the gym once before because that's where the scare program tryouts were held. At least I won't get lost trying to find the place.

As soon as I've stepped out of the elevator and have rounded the corner, I am almost immediately swallowed up by a large mass of students all moving in the direction of the gym. It definitely looks as if this is going to be a very large class. I allow myself to get herded along until I reach the locker room. The first time that I saw the locker room, I thought that it was much too big. Now, I think that it is much too small. Everyone is pushing and shoving in an attempt to find an empty locker. I stand back from the fray and run my eyes over the lockers until I spot an open one not all that far away from me. Dodging monsters here and there, I slip through the crowd and press myself up to the locker to keep from getting trampled while I cram my school supplies into the locker.

Suddenly, a familiar voice speaks in a loud voice from behind me, "Did you see that look on Randall's face earlier? I think that he was going to try and hit me if you hadn't interfered. Why'd you have to ruin it, Sulley? I could have gotten him dismissed!"

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_Review please! :)  
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	27. Chapter XXVI

**honorstudent97: I love Dory! Ellen DeGenres is a really amazing person imo. I love how she saved her wife from an eating disorder (I've been dealing with one for the past five years and it's a bitch). Ellen seems like such a kind, caring person. But anyway...there will be lots of smut later on in this fic, and when I finish it, I'll write another one, okay? :)  
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**Energy Witch: Yay, I'm glad to hear that you're sticking with this story until the end! *high fives you* I'd say that the ending is tragic, but it's not like one of those endings where everyone commits suicide, you know? My thoughts exactly about Doom! Mike is just kind of annoying, but Doom has a deadly vibe about him. Thanks for sticking with my story!  
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**Nymris: Ew, now that you mentioned that about monsters not wearing shoes, I'm going to make myself a metal note to never walk into a monster locker room. That would be gross! *shivers* It is good that Fungus and Randall are such close friends. Funk is the only one who is going to stick by Randall's side from now all the way until the time when he joins MI. And omg, you agree on the spiders! *high fives you* I hate those creepy crawlies!  
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**Remy: Same thoughts about Mike! I guess that he had a plan all along, didn't he? Hehe, well, the slime fight might have been a random idea, but it's a cute one! Aw, thanks for reading this despite it being a tragedy. *hugs you* The Noose would be my least favorite character as well. There's just something unnerving about him that I don't like. I'd love to take Fungus home with me as well! He's a little sweetie, isn't he? I think that he'd make a good friend just like Chip. I must have a tendency to expand minor characters' roles in my stories. xD I hope that you like this next chapter!  
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**a fan: Yay, I'm glad that you know what an OC is now! *high fives you* Thanks for saying that Doom is original. I tried really hard with him. Fungus is a really good friend to Randall. I think that those two make great friends and possibly a great couple. What do you think?  
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**jade4563: That's great; I can't wait to hear what you think about MU! I'm curious to see if you'll like it better than MI or not. I'm pretty sure that I liked it better. I love how Randall is a villain due to business purposes as well. It makes him less selfish and easier to relate to, don't you think? I definitely don't think that he deserved banishment. My headcanon is that Sulley goes back into the human world later to bring Randall back to Monstropolis. :P I hate the Noose though! What about you? I mean, who the hell thinks up things like kidnapping little kids? Thanks for liking the last chapter!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Mike does have a big mouth, doesn't he? He just can't seem to stop blabbing! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: Omg, so nobody can join the site now at all? That is retarded! *kicks the stupid website* Lol, but anyway, thanks for reading! :)  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Can I help you put Mike through the shredder? I definitely think that he deserves it! Doom can go die in the hole alone, haha. I'm the same way about just having only a few online friends. *hugs you* Well, I can be your fanfiction friend if you want, so now you have three friends. :) You think that you're nerdy? You don't really come off as the nerdy type to me, but what do I know? :P Thank you so much for the review!  
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**Chapter XXVI  
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My eyes narrow into slits as I shut my locker as quietly as I can. Turning around, I attempt to stay inconspicuous as I glance around for Wazowski. There he is across the locker room from me, talking - or should I say complaining? - to Sullivan about how he had tried to get me into trouble earlier. Now I see what Wazowski's grand scheme is. He's trying to anger me into doing something stupid, something that will cause me to break the rules and end up getting sent away from the school. I suppose that I had considered this before, but I didn't think that Wazowski was smart enough to try and do something like this. No wonder the stupid cyclops has been trying to irritate me at every possible opportunity.

I keep my eyes focused on the one-eyed cretin while I fold my arms over my chest and try to figure out just what Wazowski's problem with me is. Yeah, I know that I got off to a rough start with him running into me on the bus, but you'd think that would give me the right to hate the eyeball, not vice versa. Maybe Wazowski just sees me as a threat or maybe he's jealous of my studious antics. Then again, who knows what the hell goes through Wazowski's mind? I don't know and I certainly don't want a look into his head, thank you very much.

There are still a few minutes left before gym starts, so I decide to stay hidden here against my locker so I can listen in to whatever other gossip Wazowski decides to spread about me. I suppose that isn't the only reason why I'm sticking around in the locker room though. It just so happens that Wazowski is complaining to Sullivan about me out of all monsters. To put it simply, I want to know what Sullivan thinks of me. Does he want me sent away from the school like the metal mouth does or not? He's made attempts to be nice to me. Now I'll get to figure out if the attempts were genuine or not.

"Mike, you shouldn't do that. What did Randall ever do to you that was so bad?" Sullivan asks Wazowski, apparently standing up for me. I have to admit that I'm slightly touched.

"Well, he...uh...um," the green eyeball scratches his head as he attempts to come up with something horrible that I've done to him. Apparently, nothing comes to Wazowski's mind because he ends up shrugging and saying, "Nothing, I guess, but just look at the guy! He's got those creepy eyes and those weird things on top of his head. Plus, have you ever taken a look at his glasses? Thick-rimmed glasses went out of style ages ago. I remember my grandma wearing glasses like those!"

"Those aren't good reasons not to like someone," Sullivan replies stiffly, not giving in to degrading me with Wazowski. I've got to admit that I'm surprised by his fervor. It would be more than easy for him to agree with the cyclops or even just go along with him and say nothing. That's not Sullivan's way though. He's got morals that Wazowski certainly doesn't have.

"Yeah, well, he doesn't like me either," Wazowski protests, still refusing to let the subject go as he slams his locker shut and waits for Sullivan to finish twisting the lock on his locker.

"Still not a good enough reason to hate someone," Sullivan replies, narrowing his eyes as he continues struggling with his lock. It must be broken because he throws it aside and steals one off of a nearby empty locker to use instead, continuing to talk to Wazowski as he says, "Besides, remember how you hated me when we first met? Now we're getting along just fine, aren't we?"

Wazowski looks at the floor and thinks hard about this. My god, he's slow. It doesn't take a genius to realize that he's getting along quite well with Sullivan. Finally, the electric green monster admits, "I guess so, but we're not friends. We're just...acquaintances."

"Yeah, well, acquaintances or not, we're getting along and we're not fighting anymore," Sullivan says, finally managing to get his locker shut. Waving Wazowski after him, he adds, "You should just give Randall a try. You might find that he's not all that different from you and me. He's a good scarer. Now, come on. Let's not be late for gym."

Realizing that Sullivan's words not only apply to Wazowski, but apply to me too (the part about being late, I mean), I slip out from where I've been hiding and start weaving my way through the crowd of monsters swarming in the locker room to the hallway that leads past the showers and bathroom stalls to the gym. As I walk, I can still hear Wazowski talking in his loud voice.

"Are you nuts?! This is why we're only acquaintances and not friends, Sulley. There are times like right now when I think you've lost your mind!" Wazowski points out in an irritated voice before practically intersecting paths with me. We both come to a halt and regard each other with wary eyes. Apparently more afraid of facing Sullivan's wrath than mine, Wazowski raises a hand meekly and makes an awful attempt at being friendly by saying, "Oh hey, Randall."

I ignore the two-faced imbecile and instead turn my eyes up to meet Sullivan's azure ones. Despite the fact that neither of us speak, a sort of understanding passes between the two of us, one that tells Sullivan that I just heard the entire conversation that went on between him and the eyeball. Figuring that no words are needed at this point, I turn on my heel and easily thread my way through the rest of the monsters, reaching the entrance to the gym long before Wazowski and Sullivan. I throw open the door and am greeted by a very large class of close to seventy students. I pick my way along the edge of the cluster of the group and stand out of view behind a particularly tall monster, wishing that I could be at computer class with Fungus right now. Learning to hack a computer is a lot more useful and less painful than trying to survive gym class.

After five minutes of waiting, an octopus-like monster wearing red spectacles and a matching red cardigan steps out of a doorway at the far end of the gym. She pats the bun of coarse gray hair on top of her head as she slides across the floor toward us. The monster looks old, but her eyes are sharp and shrewd. I doubt that she misses anything.

"I am Ms. Stanley, your gym teacher," Ms. Stanley starts out, completely skipping the niceties. "In this class, I expect you all to do your very best and give everything we try in this class your all. Laziness is not permitted here. Do you understand?"

Ms. Stanley's sharp voice and steely gaze causes the entire class to pay strict attention to her and nod once in response to her words. I can already tell that I'm not going to like Ms. Stanley.

"Good. Today, we're going to be practicing tennis. It's a good sport that keeps you moving around and active. It is also a sport that doesn't take much skill. That's the main reason I chose it for today. Now before we go out to the tennis courts, I want you to pick a partner. Snap to it. There's no time to lose," Ms. Stanley orders us in her no-nonsense way.

Great. I just knew that we were gonna have to have partners for gym. You would think that in a group of at least seventy students that it wouldn't be so hard to find a partner, right? Wrong. The students around me are already breaking off into twosomes. Without Fungus around, I'm not sure who to ask to be my partner. I could ask a random stranger who doesn't look particularly unfriendly, but realize that I'm too shy for that. If someone wants to be my partner, they're just going to have to ask me themselves.

Unfortunately, nobody wants to be my partner. I'm the only one left standing by myself when Ms. Stanley clears her throat a few minutes later and says, "Attention, class! I assume that you've all found your partners. Please head out to the tennis courts. The courts are located just through this door to my left. Anyone who does not have a partner stays here."

A lump forms in the back of my throat and I have a temporary moment of panic during which I wonder if Ms. Stanley is going to punish me for not being able to find a partner. After a moment, I realize how stupid this is. Teachers don't punish students unless they've misbehaved.

Sighing and wishing that I could control my camouflaging ability since now would be a very good time to blend in with the wall, I watch the monster twosomes file out of the gym, laughing and chitchatting amongst one another. Even Wazowski has found a partner with another one-eyed monster with a fuchsia colored body. Sullivan, who's always easy to pick out of the crowd considering his height, is partnered with Scott. That green monster of jealousy rises up inside of me until I get a bad taste in my mouth.

"It looks as if there are only two of you left, which is perfect," Ms. Stanley's cutting tone jerks me back to the present. "The two of you can be partners. Now go join the other students. We've already wasted enough time as it is. We're five minutes behind schedule."

Glancing across the room, I see a monster who resembles a snail standing across from me. His slimy figure is yellow with orange spots on his back. Unlike me, this monster doesn't have a partner because he's disliked. On the contrary, he doesn't have a partner because of his ability to play sports. Needless to say, it ain't easy for a snail to play tennis.

Since Ms. Stanley's steely eyes are growing deadlier with each passing moment I waste standing rooted to the spot, I tell myself that this is just for one hour and force myself to walk over to the snail. We look at each other a little shyly before the snail introduces himself, "I'm Ray. Sorry in advance if I'm not much good at tennis. It's hard to move fast when you're a monster like me."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that," I say, wondering if it's even possible for Ray to hit one birdie back over the tennis net to me. The two of us start out toward the tennis courts. I figure that I'd better introduce myself to Ray since he bothered to introduce himself to me and say, "I'm Randall."

Ray doesn't talk much, which is just fine with me. It takes a good five minutes just for Ray to get to the door leading out to the tennis courts. I'm not complaining. The more time we spend walking, or sliding along in Ray's case, the less time I have to spend out on the tennis court chasing a runaway ball that insists on evading my racket. Unfortunately, we can't procrastinate for forever and eventually exit the gym and step outside. My eyes practically bug out of my head as I look left and right at all of the many tennis courts assembled on the bright green lawn. I knew that there was a lot of space behind the university, but I didn't know that there was quite this much space.

Ms. Stanley follows Ray and me outside and points us in the direction of an empty tennis court out in the distance, informing us, "You can hold your tennis match over there. I will be stopping by to observe you later."

My stomach flips upsi-down. Since when did teachers start "observing" their students during their very first day of class? Keeping my complaints to myself, I follow Ray across the lawn and suddenly identify the occupants of the tennis court directly to the left of the one Ray and I are planning on using. A bright green eyeball is running frantically back and forth in front of his side of the tennis net, a smile on his face and his laughter ringing in my ears even from this distance. Why is it that I seem to run into Wazowski wherever I go? I swear that fate is trying to throw us together just for a laugh.

Resolutely ignoring the one-eyed cretin for the time being, I stalk swiftly past the tennis court that Wazowski is sharing with his friend and enter the empty tennis court. Stepping across the court to the left side of it, I pick up a racket lying on the ground and look up to see where Ray is. He's still sliding across the lawn toward the tennis court. At this rate, it's going to be another five to ten minutes before we're actually playing tennis. Still trying to keep Wazowski from noticing me, I keep my eyes focused on my tennis racket and pretend to observe it with interest.

"Hey Randall!" a familiar voice calls out after just a few seconds. So much for Wazowski not noticing me. "Come over here a sec!"

I snap my head upward from my tennis racket to find the annoying green cyclops standing at the edge of his tennis court to talk to me. Not in a talking mood, especially after I heard of Wazowski's master plan to get me expelled earlier, I cross my arms firmly across my chest and demand, "What do you want, Wazowski?"

"I was just wondering who your partner is. I was worried that you might not have one," Wazowski says in false concern. He may pretend to respect me around Sullivan, but when the two are apart, he goes right back to his old antics, not that this particularly surprises me.

"Yeah, sure," I reply, irony dripping from my own voice as I make it clear that I don't believe the one-eyed cretin for a second.

Wazowski's one eye scans the area around me before he notices Ray huffing and puffing as he slowly makes his way to the tennis court. His face practically lights up with glee as he exclaims incredulously, "Is that slowpoke your partner? My god, now I really do feel sorry for you!"

"Do us both a favor and keep your sympathy to yourself," I mutter at Wazowski's bafflement.

"If you want," the lime green cyclops shrugs his shoulder before a wicked gleam flicks across his eye as he adds, "Believe me, you'll need it though."

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_Review please! :)  
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	28. Chapter XXVII

**honorstudent97: Yup! I read it a while back, but I thought that it was a pretty neat story. :) Thanks for the sympathy. Your friend sounds a bit like me actually. I deal with some of those things as well and I've been threatened with the psych ward on multiple occasions. Life's kind of been a bitch to me, but I've avoided the psych ward so far, so I'm grateful for that. Well, don't worry, there is smutiness coming up! Honestly, my next few stories will all be MI/MU related. I'm really obsessed with these movies. xD  
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**Energy Witch: *coughs* Well, I never said that everyone was going to live, I just said that not everyone was going to die. *hides* But anyway, Randall is definitely a villain that we can all sympathize with. Personally, I would've liked to see him go to rehab. Maybe Sulley could visit him there? Hey, you're giving me an idea for another MI story after this one! Thanks for reading. :)  
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**Nymris: Sulley is a good guy! I mean, he's never judgmental and he's always so willing to give everyone a chance, you know? I wish that I knew more people like Sulley. That's a good point about Randall and Mike. Now Mike is going to get nastier than ever. :S Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Yay, you're still reading! I wasn't sure if I had lost you on this story or not. :P Glad you're still reading it and hm, it would be nice if Mike and Randall could come to some sort of peace, but I doubt that will happen for a while. Thanks for the comment!  
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**a fan: As unfortunate as it is, I think that we've all been through the awful can't find a gym partner thing. My problem was that I used to suck at gym and I was always very quiet, so I'd never have a partner and would often get stuck by myself. I hate that feeling, don't you? It would always make me feel so unwanted. I'm glad that you think that Randall's and Funk's friendship fits this story so well. Hope you like this chapter!  
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**jade4563: I agree with you completely! I don't think that Randall should have been banished. The Noose should have been banished instead! After all, is it just me or is banishing a monster pretty much just as bad as sentencing him/her to death? :S I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! I'm with you there; Randall does not have much luck with it comes to getting a partner. Haha, so I take it that you don't like Mike much either? I just never liked him all that much. xP Thanks for taking the time to comment! :D  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Mike s definitely pushing the limit! And yeah, there's going to be a Finding Nemo 2! Do you like that movie? Thanks for reading!  
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**Mysterious: Gah, that's so horrible that the people from that site banned you while you were sleeping! They should at least have given you a notice about it, you know? It's not fair to do it while you were asleep. Also, is it just me or is "crap" not really a bad word? :S The moderators sound so picky! Thanks for the compliment on the chapter, btw!**

**Mickfang27: Yay, you're back! :D I missed you while you were gone! I hate going places with no wi-fi, but I hope that you had a nice vacation. :) It is nice that Randall could get a partner at least. It's awful being the odd one out and ending up with no partner. Hehe, ramble all you want about this story! I love to hear what you think about it. Glad that you liked the way I brought Don into the story again. So you liked him in the movie then? There will definitely be more with Randall and Doom in the future! Sulley is a great, laid back sort of guy. Scott is pretty clingy. I didn't like him all that much in the movie, so I made him kind of annoying in this. Thanks so much for catching up on the fic! Also, don't worry, I'm definitely going to write another story after this one! **

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**Chapter XXVII  
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As Ray finally slides onto the tennis court leaving a trail of slime oozing in his wake, I sigh and realize that Wazowski is right. Under the current circumstances, I'm gonna need all the help I can get. Telling myself to stop focusing on the monster in the tennis court to my right, I step to the center of the net and wait for Ray to pick up his tennis racket. Even picking up the racket takes Ray longer than it would take a normal monster to pick something up. Since it's clear that I've been waiting for him, Ray wastes no time in grabbing the ball and using his racket to bounce it over the net toward me. My hand-eye coordination is not particularly good, but I manage to stumble backward a little less than gracefully and bat the ball back over the net to Ray. This is where the real problem begins. Ray can't return my serves to save his life as I soon learn. It isn't his fault or due to lack of effort; the snail-like monster is simply too slow to play tennis.

I'm standing bored in the center of my side of the tennis court while Ray slides slowly off to his left to retrieve the runaway ball. It seems as if most of our game is spent with Ray sliding all over the place to recapture the balls that he fails to pass back to me. Slime tracks are visible all over the tennis court. I find myself wondering just how long we've been out here in the heat for. Reptiles like myself don't particularly like the scorching heat beating down on their backs. Our scales dry out and start cracking painfully.

"Exciting game going on over there, huh, Randall?" Wazowski shouts over from the tennis court next to mine.

"You bet," I reply, sarcasm dripping from my voice as I turn my emerald eyes onto the cyclops who is unfortunately pretty darn good at tennis from what I've been noticing. Wazowski grins to himself, clearly satisfied that he got me to agree with him for once.

I'm so distracted by thoughts of the one-eyed cretin that I don't realize that Ray has finally managed to retrieve the ball and has slid back to the center of the tennis court. Only once the ball is flying directly between my eyes do I happen to look up and realize that Ray has already served me the ball. I try to sidestep the flying object, but it's traveling in my direction too quickly to avoid Thud! The ball hits me smack in the forehead. It's a small thing, but my forehead still throbs dully from the impact since the ball was flying through the air rather quickly.

"Sorry!" Ray shouts from his side of the court between pants. Even if I'm not getting much of a workout, the snail certainly is since he's constantly chasing the ball around the court.

I make a hand gesture to Ray to tell him to forget it and that I'm just fine. Rubbing my forehead to try and soothe the thrumming sensation between my eyes, I smile with irony as I realize that I'm the one chasing the ball for once. I take my time in retrieving it, which attracts Wazowski's attention. ...Again. I'm starting to think that he's paying more attention to my game with Ray than to his own game with the fuchsia monster.

"Hey Randall, are you okay over there, pal? It looks like that had to have hurt," Wazowski says in a mock sympathetic voice as I lean over to pluck the ball up from the ground between two webbed fingers. Waiting for the insult that is sure to come, I don't bother responding to this. Sure enough, Wazowski is not done talking and adds, "Good thing you're thick-skulled, eh?"

I listen to Wazowski chortling at his own joke and shake my head absentmindedly at his immaturity. At this point, the little imbecile is just trying to upset me by throwing every insult possible at me. The cyclops certainly doesn't know me very well because immaturity is not the way to get me expelled from the school. If he mocks Fungus again, I might snap, but as long as Wazowski just keeps persistently insulting me on my tennis skills, I'm gonna stay calm.

"Save it for someone who actually cares," I call over to the eyeball emphatically.

"Don't you care? You were the one who just got hit on the head with the ball," Wazowski points out as if I'm too dumb to realize this.

"Yeah, I know that I got hit on the head with the ball. I'm not stupid. Do I look stupid to you? Wait, don't answer that," I say quickly, knowing what the one-eyed cretin's response would've been to my question. Smoothing my fronds, which are sticking up all over the place, I add, "You'd better be careful before I challenge you to a game of tennis."

"Bring it on!" Wazowski cheers, clapping his hands together and taking my threat as an opportunity to best me in something else. "I'm not scared of you in a tennis match. When are we playing?"

"I didn't say that I am challenging you to a tennis match. I only said that I might challenge you to one. There's a difference," I point out, quickly realizing that challenging Wazowski to a sport I lack skill in is completely stupid. "Aren't you supposed to be concentrating on your own tennis match right now? Ms. Stanley is watching you."

My timing ends up being quite good since Ms. Stanley happened to appear just behind Wazowski's tennis court only moments earlier. The squid-like teacher is giving the cyclops a steely look from behind her pointed, red-rimmed spectacles. Gulping, Wazowski quickly turns away from me and returns to his tennis match against the fuchsia colored monster as if he had never paused to stop and talk to me. Rolling my eyes, I ignore Wazowski and send the ball over the net to Ray. As usual, Ray misses the ball. It goes soaring over his head and lands off to the right somewhere.

Sighing, I fold my arms over my chest and watch Wazowski's tennis match out of the corner of my eye while still managing to keep an eye on Ray. The last thing I need is a repeat of earlier and end up getting bonked on the head with the ball again. Sadly, Wazowski's tennis match is going well. The green eyeball and his partner manage to hit the ball back and forth to one another fifteen times in a row. I can't help but admit that I'm impressed. Good thing I didn't challenge Wazowski to a tennis match after all. From out of the corner of my ear, I can hear Ms. Stanley giving the fuchsia colored monster a few pointers before praising Wazowski for his athletic talent.

By this time, Ray has managed to retrieve the ball and is sliding toward me, leaving more slime in his wake. The piercing sunlight floods down on us and causes the sickly slime to gleam in the sunlight. I ignore the slime and raise my racket just as Ms. Stanley walks from Wazowski's tennis court over to the one I'm sharing with Ray. Great. It looks like it's our turn for observation.

I shouldn't be too alarmed since I haven't missed any of the balls Ray has sent over the net toward me yet besides for the one he sent flying toward me that one time I was busy eying the one-eyed cretin. Still, I can't keep my pulse from quickening and my breaths from coming a little faster as I stand firm and try to focus on the ball, determined to hit it if it's the last thing I do.

Also all too aware of Ms. Stanley's eyes on us, Ray takes a deep breath before focusing hard and sending the ball hurtling over the net. I keep my eyes on the ball and take a step backward to adjust my position to my target. It's gonna make contact with my racket at any moment now…

"NICE SERVE, MITCHELL!" a loud shout comes from my right, completely distracting me and causing me to change my focus from the ball to Wazowski just as my target goes flying past me and hits the ground with a dull smack. I curse under my breath and glare at the ball lying a millimeter from my foot. I could have easily have hit it if it hadn't been for Wazowski. I know that he yelled aloud just to distract me. It's all part of his master plan to upset me into making a mistake that will get be expelled from the school.

Biting on my lip so hard that I end up tasting blood in my mouth, I dare to look up and find Ray flinching and Ms. Stanley giving me a patronizing look. Glad that she hasn't said anything about my performance yet, I waste no time in sending the ball hurdling back over the net toward Ray. As usual, Ray waves his racket around wildly in an attempt to hit the ball, but misses. It clunks to the ground a good ten meters to his right.

As Ray shuffles off to retrieve the ball, Ms. Stanley shocks me by actually entering the tennis court Ray and I are sharing. I have no proof of this, but I highly doubt that the teacher has entered anyone else's tennis court. I'm sure that it's just mine.

Ignoring Ray, Ms. Stanley makes her way directly over to me and says in a hard voice, "I didn't expect your partner to thrive at tennis given his unique physique, but I see no reason for you to fail tennis. Reptiles are typically quite good at sports. In fact, I had a chameleon in my class a few years ago who was one of my very best students. Are you giving this your all, Mr…?"

"It's Randall. Randall Boggs," I inform Ms. Stanley, not about to allow this teacher the liberty to call me by my nickname. Shrugging my shoulders and surreptitiously glancing around to see if there is a clock anywhere nearby since I just want to get out of here at this point, I point out, "Gym isn't my strong point. Never has been, never will be."

I fail to find a clock and resort to crossing my fingers behind my back in hopes that class will be dismissed at any moment. Unfortunately, Ms. Stanley seems much less worried about the time than I am. She folds her arms and says, "That's not the attitude I like to hear, Mr. Boggs. You can certainly improve at sports if you are willing to put some work into it. If you say that you'll never achieve something, then of course you won't. However, if you work hard at it, then chances are that you'll succeed."

I nod along silent to this lecture, wondering why I happen to be the only one getting a lecture. Just because I happened to miss the ball once does not mean that I'm a downright failure at tennis even though I will honestly admit that sports are not one of my talents. I think that the only reason I'm having such a hard time with tennis Is because of my partner. Does anyone else in class have to play with a sluggish snail? Nope.

From out of the corner of my eye, I see Wazowski snickering at me from his side of the court. I do my best to ignore him and wait for class to end. Why hasn't Ms. Stanley dismissed us yet? We only had forty minutes of class time by the time Ray and I reached our tennis court. You'd think that forty minutes would have passed by now, but apparently not.

"I believe that a lesson is in order here," Ms. Stanley decides on the spur of the moment. My insides knot up. Whatever Ms. Stanley is about to say can't be good. Giving me a grave look, the teacher continues on, "I want you to see that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. In order to do this, I want you to have personal tennis lessons once a week from one of my more talented students."

"You mean that I'm gonna to be tutored?" I ask incredulously, eyes practically popping out of my head at Ms. Stanley's words. I knew that the woman would be strict, but I didn't expect her to be this fanatical.

"That's exactly what I mean, Mr. Boggs," Ms. Stanley says, her serenity the opposite of my current mood. I'm still staring at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth when the teacher looks over my head and calls, "Mr. Wazowski, could you come over here for a few moments please?"

I barely hear the sounds of feet padding against the tennis court to my right as I realize what Ms. Stanley's intentions are. She's planning to have Wazowski out of all people "tutor me". My god, the teacher must really be off her rocker. Is it even allowed at the school to order one student to tutor another student?

I'm still puzzling over this and am thinking about bringing the matter up to Dean Hardscrabble when Wazowski comes to a halt besides me, smelling strongly of sweat. I wrinkle my nose and take an intentional step away from him as the stinky, egg-shaped monster turns his gaze toward Ms. Stanley and asks, "You wanted to see me?"

"I did, yes," Ms. Stanley says with a smile in Wazowski's direction before she points a hand at me and says, "Mr. Boggs apparently needs a lesson or two on how to play tennis. I would like for you to act as his gym tutor this year. I'd like for the two of you to meet up once a week for an hourly tutoring session. I know that this might be a bit inconvenient for you, so if you are willing to undertake this task for me, I will give you an A at the end of the year regardless of your performance in the rest of this class. You've already proved yourself to be quite athletic as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure that your tennis skills will transfer over to other sports as well."

I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from pointing out just how unfair this situation is. Wazowski is gonna get to tutor me, waste my precious study time, and no doubt humiliate me and get an A as his final grade in gym all because of it. What am I going to get out of this? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

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_Review please! :)  
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	29. Chapter XXVIII

**honorstudent97: Life's definitely a bitch, I agree. *nods* I guess we do just learn to feel grateful for the things that we've been given. I tend to drown myself in writing because it's the only "good" thing in my life so to speak. I take it that you're looking forward to going to Beijing then? And omg, I love Toy Story so much! :D Who's your favorite character?  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: Hi there! I missed you! I'm so glad that you haven't given up on this story and managed to catch up on it. *high fives you* I'm so glad to hear that you're loving the plot. Uh oh, I don't want to answer your question if it means that you're going to jump off of a cliff! *hides all of the nearby cliffs from you before I answer* Yeah, this is going to be a tragedy. I tend to write tragedies because I think that they're more realistic, you know? Randall does develop schizo later. *nods* I'm glad that I'm not the only one who sees him as having this in MI. It just seems to fit his personality type, don't you think? Thanks again for catching up!  
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**Nymris: Omg, I agree with you completely about gym teachers being the craziest! Two of my gym teachers were both very...eccentric. :P I used to hide out in the bathroom so I wouldn't have to go to gym. And yeah, poor Randy might get stuck in the pit for a while. Thanks for the comment!  
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**Remy: I feel really sorry for Randy in this chapter too! As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours! The poor guy just can't seem to get a break. How do you think his tutoring sessions with Mike are going to go? xD Let me know what you think of this next chapter. ^^  
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**I-Like-Sulley: I'm totally with you there! Mike, go get lost! Randy needs to spend time with Sulley instead of spend time with you practicing tennis. Thank you for reading this!  
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**jade4563: I feel the same way about banishment being a punishment worse than death in a sense. Personally, I don't see Randall as having any friends or family members that he's close to by the time of MI though. What do you think? And omg, I know, Ms. Stanley is a very biased teacher. I always hated gym too. It was my least favorite subject in school. Hope you like this next chapter! :)  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I'd say that you're right about Randy's tennis lessons! And yay, I love Finding Nemo too! Who's your favorite character from it? Thanks so much for reading this.  
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**Mysterious: Omg, I'm that very same way about keeping myself logged in all of the time. It's way easier than constantly logging in and out, don't you think? I'm totally with you on crap not being a bad word. I use way worse words even in fanfic writing, lol. I hope you get to see MU tomorrow! If you get to see it, let me know what you think about it, okay? :)  
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**badberry123: Hey there! *waves* Wow, I haven't gotten such a nice review in a long time! You have no idea how happy reading your comment made me! I'm so glad that you think that everyone is in character. I'll admit that I might've gone a little bit overboard with Mike, but other than with Mike, I tried to keep everyone really consistent with the movie. I'm surprised that you don't hate me since you're a Mike fan, haha. And omg, you're a slasher too? Awesome! *high fives you* I really love slash pairings. I never used to write them, but now I can't stop writing them. I'm glad that you like what I'm doing with Fungus and Randy in this story. I actually do ship those two and I feel like Fungus doesn't get enough love, so I decided to give him a bigger role in this story. How do you feel about his character? I think that he's pretty adorable. Doom's gang is mostly made up of the RORs from Monsters University. I wrote this way back in March, so that's why some things are a little off from the movie. You'll have to let me know what you think of the film if you get to see it tomorrow! I hope you love it. I did! Thanks again for such a nice review!  
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**Chapter XXVIII  
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Wazowski, as daft as always, takes a moment to assess this offer before realizing that it's a good one. Smiling up at Ms. Stanley he says in a helpful voice, "I'd love to help you out. I'll start tutoring Randall right away."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Wazowski. I appreciate your willingness to help out a fellow student. This is the kind of attitude I want all of my students to have," Ms. Stanley points out, sending me a sharp look at these words. She takes a step backward before saying, "I will leave you two to figure out your first tennis date. I will expect reports on Mr. Boggs' progress from the sessions."

"Sure thing, Ms. Stanley. Did I ever tell you how much I like the color of your spectacles? Red is one of my favorite colors and that shade of red, well, it's my absolute favorite!" Wazowski attempts to flatter the teacher, causing me to want to throw up. Hasn't the kid learned that it's never ever a good idea to flirt with a teacher under any circumstance? Apparently not.

To my surprise, Ms. Stanley actually reacts positively to the flattery and replies in a grateful voice, "Why thank you. Nobody has ever commented on my glasses before. I must admit that I like the color red also."

"Nobody has ever commented on your glasses before?" Wazowski echoes in a attempt at sounding horrified. "You must not have met very many decent monsters then. I can assure you that those glasses look stunning on you."

Ms. Stanley sends Wazowski a smile, an expression that looks odd on her usually strict face, before striding off of our tennis court. Ray is standing on his side of the court with a nonplussed expression on his face. Nobody ever bothered to explain to him what was going on.

As soon as Ms. Stanley is out of earshot, I give Wazowski a disgusted look and point out, "That was sick, Wazowski. Real sick."

"You're just jealous that the women love me. You know, I'm so romantic that I think I should just marry myself sometimes. I'm sure that Sulley would agree with me. Speaking of Sulley, where is that great blue lout?" Wazowski asks absentmindedly as he turns to scan the tennis courts for any sign of the big blue monster.

"If women love you so much, then why don't you have a girlfriend yet, hm?" I ask, coming back with an immediate comeback to Wazowski's stupidity. The eyeball frowns at my words and falls silent. Before he can come up with a stupid retort, I add, "So about these lessons…."

"Oh, right. Well, let's start on Monday night since you have that scare class tomorrow night, I have theater on Friday night, and I know that I'll have some big fancy parties or something exciting to go to over the weekend," Wazowski says. "Let's just meet here in the tennis court."

"Whatever," I reply, a bit surprised that Wazowski doesn't seem so appalled at the idea of teaching me tennis. I guess that getting a free A in class is worth it to him. My nose wrinkles as I register something the cyclops said a moment earlier. "Wait, did you say that you actually have theater?"

"That's what I said. Why? Are you going deaf already? Maybe you should get those ears of yours checked," Wazowski tells me, reaching up and tapping on the side of my head. I flinch away from him as he yammers on, "We're performing Romeo and Juliet this year. I've been cast as Romeo. I can only wait and see who my Juliet is. I'm that sure she's going to be the most beautiful monster in the entire university with big eyes, long lashes, hair the color of lavender, and skin the shade of pale pink."

"Okay, okay, I get the picture. No need to go into detail," I reply, already having learned far more about theater than I actually wanted to know. Guess there are some classes worse than art and science.

Before Wazowski can bore me to death with more details about the play, Ms. Stanley finally shouts the words I've been waiting the last forty minutes for. She creaks open the door that leads from the tennis courts back into the gym, saying, "Class is over for today. You are all dismissed. Take care not to push and shove one another on your way to the locker room. You will not have any homework for this class."

A unanimous cheer leaves every monsters' mouth but mine. I narrow my eyes into slits and trudge along slowly toward the opened doorway. Ms. Stanley's words aren't quite true. Nobody has homework for this class but _me_. Why I happen to be the only one who has to have homework is something I don't know. It seems as if I always have the worst luck no matter what I do. If only Fungus had signed up for gym! He could've been my partner and I wouldn't have had to partner with Ray!

Wazowski has already dashed off toward the locker room and I'm standing alone at the edge of the tennis court. Smoothing my fronds, which are no doubt sticking up In every which direction at the moment, I take a deep breath and follow the swarm of students back into the towering building. Yeah, I have to be tutored and it's gonna to be hell, but there's nothing I can do but grin and bear it now.

Never one to push and shove, I'm one of the last ones inside the locker room. I hear the splatter of water from the showers splatting against the tile floor along with the loud cacophony of cheerful monsters chatting to one another after what they probably considered to be a successful class. Smiling at the irony, I stop short when I realize just how crowded the locker room is. The locker I used to put my books in earlier is going to be about impossible to get to. Deciding to wait for the locker room to empty out before attempting to retrieve my books, I duck into the less busy area with the bathroom stalls lined up to my left. Sighing, I lean my elbows on the speckled counter top and close my eyes for a moment before running my hand under the cold water and rubbing some of it onto my forehead to cool my sweaty scales.

"Randall! There you are. I wanted to talk to you about earlier," a familiar voice sounds from directly behind me.

Caught completely off guard, I whirl around and raise a hand to my chest where my heart should be, pulse racing as I look up to find Sullivan standing about six inches from me. Trying to calm myself, I point out in as level of a voice as I can, "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

"To talk about earlier," Sullivan repeats earnestly, not seeming to realize that six inches is not much distance to keep between us. I'm all too aware of the heat emanating from the shaggy monster's body, but perhaps that's only because it's stifling hot in the locker room. Sullivan goes on, "I'm sorry you had to overhear what Mike and I were talking about. I want you to know that I never said anything bad about you. I was only trying to get Mike to give you a chance, that's all. He's a stubborn little slime ball sometimes."

"I was never mad at you," I point out, wondering why Sullivan is so concerned about this. I remember that he tried to defend me from Wazowski. Why would I be upset with him? Taking a deep breath, I admit, "Look, I respect you, Sullivan. Wazowski gets on my nerves because he doesn't respect me and is clearly trying to get me expelled from the school. I know that you're not like that."

Sullivan's shoulders relax and I catch a gleam of white as he offers me a smile. His azure eyes sparkle in the bright lighting in the bathroom as he says, "Thanks for understanding. Hey, remember how I wanted to talk to you sometime? I keep looking for you around the school after class hours, but I can't find you anywhere. Where do you spend your time after class?"

I feel strangely glad that Sullivan still wants to talk to me. I was starting to think that he had given up on the idea of seeking me out and chatting with me about whatever it is that he wanted to talk to me about the other day after our scare class.

"I usually just go to my dorm room," I admit with a shrug of my shoulders. "Not much else to do at night around here besides for doing homework and studying. I need silence to study and the only place I'm gonna get that is in my dorm room."

"That would explain why I don't see you at nights then," Sullivan says, looking thoughtful. He runs a hand through the shaggy fur on the top of his head. I realize for the first time that it's slightly damp. The turquoise monster must have taken a shower after his tennis match. He thinks for a moment before suggesting, "Can you meet me at the library tonight at around seven?"

"Tonight at seven?" I repeat, considering my options. I could refuse Sullivan, which would probably be the smart thing to do. After all, I barely know him and chances are that we're too much of opposites to be friends or even acquaintances. Besides, we're already rivals. Still, that other less wise part of my head that finds Sullivan a little on the intriguing side wants me to say yes to his request. Finally, I decide to give him an answer, but only after one condition is met. Giving the blue monster a sideways look, I ask, "What about your little fans? They gonna be there?"

Despite the fact that it's hard to see anything since Sullivan's face is covered with that sleek, shiny fur, I could've sworn that I caught him blushing as he shakes his head and replies, "Nope, nobody will be there but me."

Knowing deep inside that this is a mistake but unable to keep myself from saying yes, I nod once and snake out a hand, grasping one of Sullivan's furry hands in between my webbed fingertips. I shake his hand firmly and reply, "I'll see you at seven then."

Sullivan beams at me, looking much happier that I said yes to his request than I thought he would be. Before either of us can say anything more, I hear another familiar voice calling, "Sulley? Sulley, are you in here?"

I recognize Scott's voice and decide to get out of here before I end up being swallowed up by Sullivan's fan kids. I glance up and meet his sky blue eyes one last time before slipping to his right and slinking through the crowd. It has thinned out slightly and I have an easier time than earlier getting to my locker. I yank it open, find my school supplies, and stack them in my arms before slipping out of the locker room and out into the hallway.

Since I only have a few hours before my meeting with Sullivan, I waste no time in starting toward the elevator. I need to get to my room as quickly as possible so I can read all of chapter one of my science textbook as well as study for arithmetic and my scaring class.

Luckily, the elevator is not too far from the gym. It only takes me about five minutes to reach it. Since my arms are full, I hit the red button just outside the elevator with my elbow and wait impatiently for it to open. I'm actually surprised that nobody else has found this handy dandy little elevator yet. I expected the whole school to know where it is by now.

I take the elevator up to the fifth floor and step out into the hallway. I weave my way through the monsters scurrying this way and that, most of them making their way straight toward the cafeteria for dinner. I ignore the idea of going to the cafeteria to grab something to eat since I'm already pressed on time and head directly to my dorm room instead, hoping that one-eyed Doom is not there more for his sake than my own. I know that I promised Fungus that I wouldn't speak to him, but it makes me sick how the bastard thinks he can beat my friends up.

It takes a good five minutes for me to reach my dorm room when the crowd is all rushing in the opposite direction as me. It's hard enough just to keep myself from getting swallowed up in it let alone make any progress forward. As I try to slink through the masses of monsters with only food on their minds, I assess the entire day as a whole. Needless to say, it wasn't one of my best days at the university. Science did not go well considering the mess I made with the slime. Well, I didn't make the mess exactly, but Mrs. Jones is never going to believe me about that. Gym was a disaster as well. Not only did I get stuck with the slowest partner in the entire class, but now I'm gonna have to get tennis lessons from Wazowski once a week due to Ms. Not-So-Helpful Stanley. I'm not sure whether her intentions are to get me to improve at tennis or to torture me. All these supposedly helpful lessons are going to do is boost Wazowski's already high ego and depreciate my already low self-esteem.

Sighing loudly in an attempt to let out my frustration, I reach the door to my dorm room and shift my science book, notepad, and pencil to one arm so I can slip the card key through the slot on the door handle with my hand. The door handle blinks green before the door falls open.

As usual, the room is empty. I don't know what Doom spends his time doing, but I'm starting to think that I don't want to know. It probably has something to do with beating up other university students like Fungus. Frowning at this thought, I slam my books down on my desk and then plop down on the chair in front of it. My thoughts are all over the place and I don't particularly feel like concentrating on reading right now, but it seems as if now is going to be my only chance to read tonight since I agreed to meet up with Sullivan later. I know, I know, it was stupid of me to say yes to meeting up with him, but I guess that my curiosity got the best of me.

Turning my thoughts away from Sullivan, I focus on turning my science book open to chapter one. Although I don't usually complain or mind learning, I find myself grimacing at the miniscule font littering page one of the textbook. I don't like small font for two reasons. Firstly, it makes a page twice as long to read as a page with normal-sized font on it. Secondly, I have a hard enough time seeing as it is. Even with glasses, I sometimes have to squint to read small text. It looks as if I have a long night of squinting ahead of myself.

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_Review please! :)  
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	30. Chapter XXIX

**honorstudent97: I'm glad that you're excited! :) Do you think that you'll miss home at all? Omg, Mr. Potato Head is hilarious! I love it when he actually gets a Mrs. Potato Head! xD Rex and Trixie are my two favorites. I'd love to write a story about them, but I like smutty stories and how exactly do you write a smutty story about toys, you know? :P  
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**marioandsonicFTW: I would say that you're definitely right! Lots of mischief goes on at college. Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Nymris: Thanks! Randy's and Sulley's talk begins in this chapter. God, I know, right? Mike is the definition of drama. Celia is playing Juliet! How did you know that? :P I'm glad that you think that Doom is an interesting character. I always feel really self conscious about my OCs. Good question about whether or not he sleeps at all. You'll find out about it later!  
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**Remy: I'm glad that it's the weekend for you! More fanfic reading and less studying is always good, right? :) I hate studying. *shivers* But anyway, yes, Randy finally gets to spend some alone time with Sulley! Things do start getting more serious around chapter 50 or so. Are you looking forward to the romance bits? :P Hope you like this chapter!  
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**a fan: That's okay about not reviewing the last chapter - we all get busy sometimes. That's nice that you can usually find a partner to pair up with! Being alone is never any fun. I'm glad that you liked the last chapters! That's a good prediction about what Sulley wants to talk to Randall about. You'll find out more about their talk in this chapter. Let me know what you think of it!  
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**jade4563: I'm glad that you thought that Monsters University was worth seeing! Did you have any favorite parts from it or did you like any of the new characters? :) I'm with you on Randall's story. I think that his parts in the film were really rushed and I hate how he was so obsessed with joining in with the "cool kids" too. Randall never seemed like a ROR to me. He was like the odd one out, you know? Thanks for reading this!  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Haha, I agree with you! Sulley's fans are starting to get annoying, aren't they? They need to go follow someone else around for a bit. I'm glad that you liked the confrontation from the last chapter! Sulley and Randall are actually going to get to talk in this one. Thanks for the comment!  
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**Mysterious: Wait, so hell is an okay word, but crap isn't? Um...I need to speak to whoever is in charge of that website. :P Were you able to see Monsters University? I hope so! *crosses fingers for you* Speaking of haircuts, I got mine cut to my shoulders when I was 13 and hated it, so I haven't gotten my hair cut since then, lol. It's almost down to my waist, but it grows so slowly! Anyway, I'd go for queen of writing! After all, you can write whatever you want that way and you can't necessarily do that when you're RPing, you know? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**XxSgt KululuxX: It's totally okay about forgetting to log in - I do that all of the time because I'm always too lazy to log in unless I'm posting chapters. xD Thanks so much for the compliment. I actually got over 2000 reviews for a story on my old account, so I feel like I'm gradually building up to that again (hopefully). Haha, I know, it must be hard being a snail! I'm glad that I'm not Ray! And is it just me or could a hug from Sulley immediately cheer anyone up? Thanks again so much for reading this!  
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**Chapter XXIX  
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Somehow or the other, I manage to read a good half of the first chapter in my science book in the following hour and a half. That's the positive of tonight. The negative is that it's thirty minutes to seven pm and I haven't studied arithmetic or read any more of my book on scaring yet. Unfortunately, the studying is just gonna have to wait until tomorrow at this point.

Since I have no idea where the library is, I figure that I'd better check my class schedule/map before I get myself hopelessly lost in some unknown hallway. After rifling through my papers stacked haphazardly on the corner of my desk, I eventually find the right paper. Flipping it over so the map is upright, I squint my eyes and look for anything that resembles a library. To my surprise, I find the library on the map in only a few minutes. It's on the third floor of the building. Since I haven't been there before, I should probably set off toward my destination now.

Shoving my books, papers, and notepads aside for now, I push my chair back from my desk, smooth my fronds, and then wonder why I didn't bother taking a shower after gym earlier. Practically everyone else took a shower after gym, including Sullivan. I wasn't exactly working up a sweat by attempting to hit the tennis ball every five minutes or so, but still. I don't want to drench Sullivan in the smell of stinky scales.

Since it's too late to worry about hygiene at this point, I square my shoulders, adjust my glasses, and exit my dorm room. This is the first night that I've actually bothered to take a step outside of my room. The crowds in the hallways have thinned and it doesn't take long to reach the elevator. As I walk, several thoughts occur to me. The first thought is a worried one. What if Sullivan decides not to show up? If he stands me up, I'll feel like an idiot around him for the rest of my life. Secondly, what if he couldn't get away from his little fan club? As much as I'd like to chat with my rival, I don't want to talk in front of Sullivan idolizers. Thirdly, why am I suddenly so self-conscious about how I smell and what I look like? This is only Sullivan I'm gonna talk to. I shouldn't give a damn about what he thinks I look or smell like. I do though. I don't know why, but I just do.

Feeling slightly disconcerted, I take the elevator down to the third floor and then step into a mostly deserted hallway. I've come up with the idea to look for books while I'm waiting for Sullivan to arrive. That way, I won't look like a complete idiot if he decides not to show up.

By the time I reach the library, it's only five minutes to seven. I reach up and tug onto one of the brass door handles leading to the library. I pull the door open, expecting to see a library similar to the one that was kitty corner to my mother's house. I'm definitely in for a surprise.

Impressed, I stop just within the tall doors of the library and glance around myself. The ceilings are very, very high. Thousands upon thousands of books line the shelves that reach over a hundred meters high. The floor has been carpeted a mossy green color and the walls not covered by ornately carved book cases have been painted red. A very tall stained glass window separates the books on the right side of the room from the books on the left side of the room. The sunlight floods through the window and sends different colored beams of light inside the enormous room. Craning my neck upward, I note that the window starts at the floor and stops at the ceiling of the library. This has to be the largest stained glass window that I've ever seen before. …Not that I've seen many stained glass windows before. In fact, this might have been the first one that I've ever seen.

Now that I've taken in my surroundings, I glance around the spacious library for any signs of Sullivan. There are intricately carved wooden tables placed in the corners of the library. I see several monsters sitting at the tables and thumbing through books. I make a mental note to myself that this could be a nice place to come to study if I ever get bored of the same old scenery in my bedroom.

Just as I'm thinking this, I notice a familiar shaggy blue figure at one far end of the library far away from everyone else. Sullivan's back is to me and he appears to be hunched over something, a book most likely. Slightly relieved that he showed up after all, I pick my way across the library and over to Sullivan's table. I step around to the opposite side of it so I'm facing him. Just as I figured, Sullivan is leaning over his science textbook, looking as if it's written in a foreign language to him.

It takes Sullivan a few seconds before he notices my slender form leaning against the chair opposite his. When he notices me, he immediately snaps his book shut and exclaims, "Randall!"

For some reason, his exclamation makes my lips quirk upward as I reply, "Sullivan. You seem shocked to see me. Didn't think that I'd show up?"

Sullivan hesitates before deciding to be truthful with me and admitting, "I had my doubts. Sit down if you want. I was going to bring us some snacks, but the librarian told me that there's a 'no food allowed' rule. "

"Hm," I murmur, not particularly caring about this rule. I push back the chair opposite Sullivan's and perch on the edge of it. I tilt my head curiously at him and point out, "I highly doubt that you dragged me all the way over here just to each some munchies with me. What do you _really_ want to talk about, Sullivan?"

Sullivan hesitates, looking a little taken back by my no-nonsense manner. I stare at him with bright green eyes, waiting for his reply. Finally, Sullivan says, "Look, Randall, I think that we got off on the wrong foot together. I could tell that you didn't like me from the moment that we met and-"

"It's not that I don't like you," I interrupt the turquoise monster, hating it when the facts aren't straight. "I just don't particularly like you either."

My words are blunt, but truthful. It's hard to like a rival, especially one that you're jealous of. Sullivan has everything I don't have. He has friends, popularity, and the skill to become the school's top scarer at the end of the year. Although I don't care much for fan clubs and popularity, I've had my eyes set on the title of top scarer for my entire life and I'm not just about to stand back and let it slip through my palms.

"I see," Sullivan says after a moment. He hesitates again, having a hard time talking to me like he usually does. I have a moment where I actually wonder if I intimidate him before I quickly dismiss this thought. Sullivan is the toughest monster in the entire university. There's no reason for him to be concerned over a cold, anti-social chameleon. Finally, Sullivan goes on, "I know that you think we're opposites and that-"

"Well, we _are _opposites, aren't we?" I interrupt Sullivan once again. I motion between the two of us with a webbed hand and add, "Look at us. There's no denying the truth."

"Alright, so we are opposites then," Sullivan says, giving in to me for argument's sake. "Just because we're opposites doesn't mean that we have to be enemies though. I know that you spend a lot of time by yourself and that's great if you like that. Don't you get lonely sometimes though?"

"Nah," I reply honestly. "Funk hangs around me sometimes and that's enough for me. I don't need people cheering 'Go Randall!' or idolizing over me every second of the day."

"Randall, I didn't ask Scott and the others to start following me around. They did that all on their own," Sullivan tells me a matter-of-factly, looking a little annoyed that I keep bringing up his "friends" in a derogatory tone of voice.

"I know," I admit, supposing that I should stop blaming Sullivan for his fan club. I know that he didn't ask for Scott and the others to start trailing him everywhere. In fact, judging from the shaggy monster's rueful expression, I'd say that he's less than happy about his group of friends. Leaning forward, I ask quietly, "They annoy you, don't they?"

"They're all good guys," Sullivan says, at first refusing to speak badly of his friends. After glancing at my knowing expression, he admits, "I guess that it does get a little wearing after a while though."

"_A little wearing?_" I repeat incredulously. "I don't know how you stand it."

"Eh, you get used to it after a while," Sullivan says, sending me a flash of white as he offers me a smile. I don't return it, still not quite sure why I'm here. The hairy beast isn't exactly good at getting to the point.

Wanting to get us back to the main point of this meeting, I drum my fingertips on the edge of the table and say, "Anyway, why did you want to meet with me?"

"Well, I just want to point out to you that although we might seem opposites, we also have a lot in common," Sullivan informs me.

I can't think of much that I have in common with the purple-spotted monster sitting across the table from me and point out, "Like…?"

"We both want to be scarers for one thing. I think that it's pretty obvious that we're both at the top of our class, not to brag or anything. I know that it's going to be about impossible to keep us from becoming rivals, but I don't want to become enemies like you and Wazowski. I know that he badmouths you for being different and I'm trying to stop that," Sullivan says before realizing that his words are taking on redundancy. Sighing, he finally decides to get straight to the point and adds, "I guess that what I'm trying to say is that I want to keep our rivalry friendly. We could help each other out, you know. I think that there's a lot we could learn from each other."

I think about Sullivan's suggestion for a moment before narrowing my eyes suspiciously at him and saying, "Let me get this straight. You're suggesting that we help each other out? Does that mean that you're willing to teach me some of your scare moves?"

I mostly expect Sullivan to hesitate or turn me down at my request. After all, no sane monster would want to give away his secrets to his rival. Sullivan, however, proves to be insane as he immediately nods and says, "Sure, if you want. I think that you're the one with the more complicated moves though."

"You're the one with the better numbers though," I reply, unable to keep a slightly bitter edge from entering my voice. Surprised that Sullivan thinks that I'm the one with the better moves, I raise an eyebrow at him and ask, "Why'd you say that about my moves?"

"Because it's true?" Sullivan replies, offering me another smile. My god, he smiles a lot. Way more than most monsters I know. I normally don't like overly cheerful people, but it's nice to see Sullivan smile. He goes on, "Take that move you did during your first time with the scaring simulator for instance. The way you leaped onto the wall and scared the kid from above his bed was brilliant. I never would've thought of something like that. Besides, you executed it so gracefully, kind of like a ballerina would." Sullivan comes to an abrupt halt and I can tell that he's blushing as he shakes his head at himself and says, "Sorry, never mind that last comment."

"So you think of me like a dancer, hm, Sullivan?" I ask, slightly amused at both the comment and Sullivan's blush. It makes me feel powerful to know that I can make the university's top scarer visibly blush from under all that sleek blue fur. "Let me tell you that I ain't a perfect little dancer."

"Sorry," Sullivan apologizes again, looking like he's blushing even more than before. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. It's just that you move with such confidence when you're scaring. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Don't apologize," I wave away Sullivan's words, still enjoying the blush just visible underneath his fur. "You flatter me, but I don't mind it. Not many monsters around here think that I'm good at anything."

"That's not true," Sullivan quickly interjects, frowning at my choice of words.

I automatically raise an eyebrow at him and counter, "Really? Then name one monster around here other than Fungus who thinks that I might have a possibility to become the top scarer at the end of the year. I'm not gonna deny the fact that I'm trying for that, Sullivan. You're trying for the title too, I can clearly see that, but that doesn't mean that I'm just gonna lay down and lie there and make it easy for you to claim the title of scarer of the year."

"I wouldn't want you to do that," Sullivan replies firmly. "I like a challenge, and so far, you're the only monster who can challenge me at scaring class, not to brag once again or anything though."

"Yeah, I know you're not trying to brag. You're a nice guy and I respect you for that," I admit since this is all very true. I think over the conversation the shaggy blue monster and I have shared over the last half hour before a new thought enters my mind. Feeling a little more suspicious than I did a moment earlier, I point an accusatory finger at Sullivan and ask, "Why would someone like you start hanging out around a stuck-up eyeball like Wazowski though? I thought that you two despised one another and now I always see him in your shadow. Why?"

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_Review please! :)  
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	31. Chapter XXX

**honorstudent97: I completely understand what you mean. I'd do anything and I mean anything to leave my parents. I've considered running away again to be quite honest. If you ever want to rant about your dad, feel free to do so. Sometimes ranting can help (I do that a lot with my friends). And yeah...can't really have smut with toys! Do you like any other Pixar films? I, um, have to admit that I did write a smut scene for a Cars story once. I'm a nut, I know. :P  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Yup, the plot is thickening and Randall and Sulley are finally talking some more! :) Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Nymris: Yeah, that's pretty much true - Mike and Celia have to get together somehow, right? I actually really missed Celia's presence in MU. I would've liked to see Mike crushing on her in the film, haha. I'm glad that the last chapter made you smile and gave you something to read at the end of the day. I'll continue with the daily updates as long as nothing goes crazy over here on my end. Thanks for reading this!  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: Hey, no diving off of cliffs! *comes to save you* But anyway, yep, Randall is going to start developing schizophrenia in this story. The fic actually goes from now all the way through MI to his death. Besides for the doctor, Sulley will be the first to know about Randall getting schizo. So yeah, I'd definitely say that it will influences his friendships! Awww, that's so nice of you to say about this story! I'm glad that you're not giving up on it!**

**jade4563: I know exactly what you mean; it's hard to pick just one favorite moment out of such a brilliant film, you know? Haha, the part with the librarian was funny! I would be so scared to put a foot into that library. :P I actually really liked the Dean. I felt bad for her when her scream canister got knocked over. :( Sulley and Mike didn't seem very respectful of her, so I think that gave her a reason to hate them. Lol, well, I guess that Johnny is a little big-headed, but he had a ton of pressure on his shoulders to win the scare games, so I don't really blame him for acting the way that he did. Randall actually bakes some cupcakes in this story too since I was trying to make it somewhat consistent with MU. It's Funk that talks him into baking them though. xD Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: I completely understand that. You probably will get a lot more recognition from RPing than from writing. Do you RP on Tumblr or on somewhere else? I used to have an RPing account, but ended up giving it up because I didn't have time for it and my main blog. The moderators sound awful! Maybe they should be the ones getting banned, eh? Aw, that's a shame that you didn't get to see MU yet! Hopefully next week then! *crosses fingers for you* Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**badberry123: Hey again! I'm so glad that you liked MU and decided that it was definitely worth seeing! Which of the scare games events was your favorite? I really loved the final event. It felt very dramatic. I'm going to guess that Art is your favorite character (other than Mike, of course) from the new film. He is pretty funny and crazy! The scene with Mike and the camp was creepy, I agree. Same thoughts here on Randall's back story though. I wanted to see more done with him. My own theory was that he turned to the dark side because of bullying/abuse. Boy, was I wrong or what? xD Okay, so being a ROR fanatic, I just have to ask you what you thought of the gang. I'm going to guess that you didn't like them much because you said you that didn't like Johnny...am I right? Oh my god, I thought that exact same thing about Fungus! Where was he in MU? I would've loved seeing him and Randy as roomies or something. That would've been great! I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter. Hehe, Randall does have a little crush on Sulley going whether he wants to admit it or not. You'll find out why Sulley's hanging out with Mike in this chapter. As you've probably noticed, this story is way different than the movie. Also, I agree that respect of favorite characters and pairings is the key! I've had people quit following my MU/MI blog on Tumblr just because I'm a ROR fan now. Some people...*shakes head at them* Anyway, hope you like this chapter!**

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**Chapter XXX  
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"Oh, uh, well…." Sullivan trails off, looking uncomfortable for the first time. All throughout our conversation so far, I've felt like the shaggy beast has been completely honest with me. Suddenly, I'm feeling a breach in that honest. Sullivan is hiding something from me. Although it's not an outright lie, he admits, "Mikey and I just thought that it would be beneficial to both of us to stop hating each other. We are roommates after all."

"Mikey?" I repeat, cringing at the nickname. "I'm not stupid, Sullivan. I know that something is going on between the two of you suddenly. You gonna tell me what it is or not?"

I mostly expect Sullivan to try and skirt around the question or to ignore it somehow or the other, but he doesn't. Instead, he looks inconspicuously to his left and then to his right to make sure that nobody is listening in before he leans forward and asks in a low tone of voice, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Yeah, of course," I reply immediately, a lot more interested in Sullivan's secret than I appear to be. A rueful smile flicks across my face before I add, "Who would I tell your secret to anyway?"

"I guess you have a point. It's just that I've been sworn to secrecy and am not really supposed to say anything," Sullivan admits before taking a deep breath and going on In a rush, "Have you noticed that all of the monsters that tend to follow me around everywhere all didn't make it into the Dean's after school scare program?"

I nod immediately since I picked up on this a long time ago. I keep my mouth shut though, not wanting to tell Sullivan that I was secretly calling his group "the rejects".

"Well, we've all formed a sort of group so to speak," Sullivan admits. "We know that in order to graduate from the university at the end of the year that we're going to have to win the great scare games. We've formed our own fraternity and have started practicing for the games even though they're not until the end of the year. That's one of the reasons why Mike and I are playing it cool now. We're both the leaders of the fraternity even though Don was the one to form it."

"I see. Don't think you have much to worry about though. No one in their right mind would keep you from graduating from the university. Hell, you could probably graduate right now if you wanted to," I admit, unable to keep the jealousy from leaking into my voice. My words are true though. After all, Sullivan seems to know all of the answers to all of the questions Dean Hardscrabble asks in regards to scaring and he's already getting big numbers like eights on the scare floor. Sullivan is already a better worker than some of the monsters already employed at Monsters Inc.

"I don't think that I'm all that good," Sullivan replies modestly, not wanting to sound too arrogant. I appreciate this difference between him and Wazowski. I can't stand the way the little cretin thinks he's all that even though he's not putting up all that big of numbers on the scare floor. He seems not to realize that he's a member of the rejects for a reason.

"Believe me, Sullivan, you _are_ that good," I point out dryly, not to flatter him, but more to point out the obvious truth. Trying to keep the envy out of my voice, I continue on, "A lot of monsters would do anything to have your skill on the scare floor."

Sullivan easily reads into my mood despite the fact that I've been trying hard to keep my jealousy to myself. He raises an eyebrow and asks me in a slightly curious voice, "Monsters like you, you mean?"

I don't want to stoop low enough to admit that yes, I'm jealous of Sullivan, so I decide to indirectly answer his question and reply, "Any monster who wants to get to the top of the leader board wants your skills."

"You're complimenting me," Sullivan points out, flashing me that amiable grin of his again.

"Don't flatter yourself," I warn. "Compliments aren't something I give out very often. I only give them to those who deserve them. Anyway, you said that you'd be willing to show me some of your moves. I'm willing to do the same if you want to learn some of mine. When do you want to meet up again?"

"Oh, I don't know. What day of the week works for you?" Sullivan asks in a low key, laid back tone of voice. "I don't have much going on except for on Wednesday nights. Mike convinced me to walk with him to and from his theater class. The classroom is located in one of the buildings not connected to the university, so he has to wander around outside in the dark by himself if I don't walk with him."

"Hm," I muse aloud, my face suddenly lighting up in a wicked smile as I realize that I can use this little piece of information against Wazowski. "So the little slime ball is afraid of the dark, eh?"

"Please don't bother him about it," Sullivan sighs, immediately reading into my dark smile. "I'm just trying to get the two of you to tolerate each other. I'm trying really hard with Mike, but it will help if you don't purposely aggravate him. That will only make the situation work."

"Right, but when he's constantly calling you four-eyes and is insulting your only friend, it's about impossible not to aggravate him. I'm not gonna say anything that will get either of us expelled from the school, but I wouldn't mind getting on his nerves a little to show him what he's always doing to me," I point out dryly. "Say, if you could try and pass down that humble attitude of yours to him, I'd appreciate it. Ms. Stanley ordered him to give me tennis lessons starting next week. Needless to say, I'm not too thrilled about them."

"Wait, you're having private tennis lessons with Mike?" Sullivan asks, blue eyes widening as he looks at me in complete surprise. I nod grimly, not too happy about the lessons myself. The turquoise monster's brow wrinkles and he admits, "I didn't realize that Mike was giving private tennis lessons. I take it that tennis isn't one of your strong points?"

"Wazowski wasn't giving private tennis lessons. Ms. Stanley offered him a free A at the end of the year if he would agree to tutor me once a week for the rest of the year," I reply dryly. "It's not that I'm all that bad at tennis. It's just that I couldn't find a partner earlier and ended up getting stuck with Ray."

"Oh, you're talking about Ray Smith, aren't you?" Sullivan points out after a moment of thought. I nod once, finding it rather funny how Sullivan recognizes so many monsters on the campus despite the fact that we've only been here for about four days. Sullivan thinks to himself before adding, "Ray's a nice guy, but he's probably not someone you want to have as your tennis partner. Is Ray getting private lessons too then?"

"Nah, it's just me," I reply, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice as I continue on, "Ms. Stanley let him off the hook because he doesn't have the proper 'physique' for sports. Apparently, she just doesn't think I'm working hard enough in gym class and thinks that private lessons with Wazowski will make all the difference."

"Gee, I feel for you there," Sullivan says sympathetically. "It doesn't seem fair to make you go to tennis lessons once a week just because you were paired with the slowest monster in class for the first gym class."

"Yeah, but tell me something, Sullivan: when has life ever been fair?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

Sullivan thinks about this for a moment before he admits, "I guess you have a point there, Randall. We get what we're dished out in life and that's really all there is to it. Speaking of which, I never asked you what you want me to call you. Is Randall fine or do you prefer something else?"

I think back and realize that the giant furry beast is correct. We never actually introduced ourselves to one another. After a moment of consideration, I say, "Yeah, Randall's fine."

"You know you can call me James or Sulley, don't you?" Sullivan points out.

"Yeah, but I prefer Sullivan. Sulley is a silly name and I don't feel comfortable with calling you James. Maybe that will change in time depending on how everything works out," I admit, truly hoping that things will work out between Sullivan and me. The truth is that he's right; we really could learn a lot from each other. Actually, scratch that. I could learn a lot from Sullivan. I don't really think that he'll be able to learn all that much from me. After all, my scaring techniques simply won't work for him half of the time. An enormous beast like Sullivan doesn't have sticky finger pads that will help him stick to walls and he can't jump onto the ceiling of hang from objects with a slender reptilian tail. There's no point in my telling any of this to Sullivan though.

"If you're calling me Sullivan, are you sure you don't want me to call you 'Boggs' instead?" Sullivan asks, a hint of a smile flashing across his lips. I can't quite tell if he's being sarcastic or not. It's hard to tell with him.

"Nah, like I said, Randall is fine. I let most of my friends call me Randy, so Randall is still a more formal name for me just like Sullivan is a more formal name for you," I say logically, looking down and inspecting one of my fingers before I notice the door to the library flick open. A group of three monsters appear in the doorway. One is fuzzy and purple striped, another one Is jelly-like with five eyes roaming around the library, and the third monster resembles a walrus with his thick brown mustache. I easily recognize the group as Art, Scott Squibbles, and Don Carlton. Since Sullivan hasn't noticed them yet, I point out dryly, "It looks like your fans have found you."

Sullivan glances quickly over to the doorway and hunches down further in his chair as if he's attempting to keep himself hidden. The effect is almost comical. It's about impossible for someone Sullivan's size to keep hidden for long. I suppress a chuckle of irony as Sullivan whispers to me, "Does this help?"

"Honestly? No, it doesn't," I admit, still trying to repress a chuckle as I rise from my chair In a fluid motion and say, "Look, I'm gonna scram before they fling themselves at you. I appreciate you inviting me here to talk and all. I thought that you might be a lot like Wazowski when I first saw you two fighting before the scare program trials. Guess I was wrong though. Meet me here same time next Friday night if you're still interested in exchanging scare strategies with me."

With that said, I quickly duck out from behind the table and slink across the library unnoticed before Art, Scott, and Don recognize me. As I slip by them, I notice Scott locate Sullivan. He grins and then begins rushing toward the purple polka dotted monster with his two buddies in his wake.

After slipping out of the library, I notice the large clock hanging at the end of the hallway. My god, it's almost already ten pm. No wonder the hallways are deserted save for a few students rushing this way and that in an attempt to get back to their dorm rooms before curfew. I join the rush and walk to the elevator as quickly as I can without running since "no running in the hallways" happens to be one of those unspoken school rules. Not wanting to draw attention to myself, I quietly tap the red button in front of the elevator before slipping inside of it and pressing the number five, which will cause the elevator to rise up to the fifth floor.

As I feel myself ascending upward, I can't help but think of a few things. The first thing that runs through my mind is the fact that I actually like Sullivan. I know, I know, I told him earlier that I didn't like or dislike him, but by the end of our chat tonight, I find that I've grown to respect the shaggy blue monster enough to actually like him. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I don't need friends. However, a supposed acquaintanceship with Sullivan could help me out in the long run; especially if he can teach me some scaring techniques that can help raise my numbers on the scare floor.

It only takes seconds to reach the fifth floor of the university. Not wanting to get caught wandering the hallways by any of the teachers, I slink down the hall as close to the wall as I can, pressing myself against it and pretending to be invisible in case a teacher happens to appear. Luckily, not a single teacher appears and I make it back to my dorm room undetected.

Sighing with relief, I pull the heavy door to the dorm room shut behind me before realizing that something is wrong. It's five minutes after curfew and one-eyed Doom is absent from the room. What could he possibly be doing at this hour? I suppose that he could be staying in another dorm room with a group of friends, but it seems more likely to me that he's cooking up trouble elsewhere. However, it's not really any of my business, so I stop thinking about Doom for the moment and step over to my bed. Plopping down on the hard mattress, I grab my alarm clock and set it absentmindedly while thinking about my classes for tomorrow. I have my first special scare class with the headmistress after school. A tingle of anticipation and excitement travels down my spine at the thought. I don't know what the program with the headmistress will be like, but I know that Dean Hardscrabble knows a lot about scaring and will help me reach my full potential and hopefully best Sullivan. Yeah, despite the fact that I like Sullivan now, I still want to beat him. Who wouldn't?

Once my alarm is set, I debate between calling it a night and finishing my science chapter. My vision blurs, making up my mind for me. I've strained my eyes enough trying to read that impossibly small font in the science textbook. A good night's rest will help me recover so I can finish the chapter tomorrow. As soon as my head hits the pillow, my eyes fall shut and I'm immediately asleep.

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_Review please! :) Also, it's my friend's birthday and I wrote her a Knightscrabble one-shot (Professor Knight x Dean Hardscrabble). Would anyone be interested in reading it? I was considering posting it, but I'm not going to bother if nobody is interested in it. Thanks for being awesome, you guys!  
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	32. Chapter XXXI

**honorstudent97: I can't move out sadly. Have you heard of involuntary guardianship? My parents would file for that if I tried to move out. Basically, it keeps you under the control of a guardian as long as you have a "mental illness". It sucks, doesn't it? I've wanted to move out for forever and now I just feel so depressed knowing that I might never get out of this hellhole. I never heard about the Pixar theory before! Random question, but do you like Pixar or Disney better?  
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**marioandsonicFTW: I would definitely say that Randall and Sulley are making progress! Now we just need the acquaintances to become more than friends. xD Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Remy: Aw man, I'm so sorry to hear about the death of your dog. *hugs* Family deaths are always very horrible. I remember when I lost my snake and was in tears over that for ages. I'm sure that your dog is in a better place though. All animals go to heaven, I think. I hope that you're doing better!**

**a fan: It's okay about not reviewing! I understand how a new job could definitely throw your schedule off balance. What's your new job if you don't mind my asking? Same thoughts about Randall and Sulley exchanging scare strategies with each other. Of course, Sulley might have used that as an excuse to see Randall again though, you know? xD Thanks for reading!**

**Nymris: I know, right? It's pretty weird how nobody calls Sulley "James". James is actually a pretty normal name, but it just doesn't fit him, does it? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: I'll try not to make it hurt too much! *hugs* I seem to have a thing for tragedies though. :P Do you have any ideas on how the schizophrenia will influence their relationship? When Sulley finds out about it, he knows that Randall has a crush on him, but the two aren't officially together at that point in time. Thanks for the comment!  
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**Astrovsky: Oh my, thank you for such a wonderful compliment! You're very welcome for writing this story! I'm so glad that you decided to read it and are enjoying it. Is Randall your favorite character? I absolutely love your icon! It's very cute! Thank you again for the kind words. **

**jade4563: Thanks! I actually felt like Sulley was a bit out of character in the movie because he was such a jerk. How did you feel about this? I tried to incorporate more of MI Sulley than MU Sulley into this story, which is why he's giving Randall a chance. Sulley's a good guy. And omg, yeah, Sulley trying to make himself small creates a funny image in my mind too! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Yeah, they finally talked! *throws a party for Randy and Sulley* You're not getting too ahead of yourself. After all, romance is the next step after friendship. Thanks for commenting!**

**Mickfang27: It's okay about not reviewing for a while! I'm glad that you didn't give up on this story though. :) I'm glad you liked the last chapter where the Boggivan is starting to come out. Sulley and Randall will definitely have more unofficial dates to come. God, same thoughts here about tennis. I can't play tennis to save my life and I would absolutely hate getting tutored by someone like Mike. Mike would make a horrible tutor, don't you think? Hehe, I agree about Sulley! It's no surprise that Randall wants to see him after he showers and vice versa. Yay, you're still reading Born to Please too? Awesome! *high fives you* I absolutely love Javier and Reggie as a couple. They have a very dramatic relationship in that fic. Thank you so much for the great review!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Thanks so much for liking the last chapter! Dory is hilarious; I like her too! I think that my favorite characters are Gill and Gurgle though. Gurgle is a lot like me because I'm always freaking out over stuff, haha. Hope you like this chapter!**

**badberry123: Can I just start out by saying that I really love your reviews? It's so fun to discuss MU/MI with someone! Thank you for that! Anyway, yes, the final event was very dramatic! Did you have a favorite scare from any of the members of OK or ROR? I love how each scare was very unique. Art is awesome! *high fives you* I have a talking Art plushie actually! Hm, I do see what you mean about the RORs. Honestly though, I can see why Johnny gave Sulley trouble. He made it clear that RORs are the best scarers on campus and that Sulley would have to study and work hard to be one of them. Sulley ignored Johnny and so he got what he deserved imo. About Mike, well, he did keep pushing to become part of ROR even after Johnny told him to go join OK, so I can see why they got annoyed with him after that. Cutie kappa was a laugh in my opinion, but I dunno, I guess that it could be considered bullying. About Randall, well, he chose to become part of ROR, so I don't like it when people say that Johnny corrupted him. Also, I don't blame Johnny for getting upset with Randall at the end. He held it together pretty well considering the stress he had to have been feeling at that point. After all, like Mike said, nobody would let him forget it if he lost. What do I like about the RORs? God, where to start...well, I love how each one of them is different! Johnny is the strong, powerful leader, Chet is his happy, eager-to-please yes man, Reg is the wild, crazy one, Javier kinda looks like a druggy (lol, don't tell me you weren't thinking that), and Chip is the silent, mysterious type. I'd ship Johnny and Chet to hell and back (they're my OTP) and do the same with JavierxReggie. I have a story about Chet and Johnny on here somewhere. It's called "Born to Please", but you probably wouldn't like it that much. Uh oh, as you can see, I can go on about the RORs for ages, so I'll move on. I love love triangles or love squares too! What's your RandallxFunk one-shot going to be about? It sounds great! I'm glad that you liked the last chapter! This story is going to follow the movie to some extent and the scare games will be a part of it! Randy will join ROR just like he did in the movie and Sulley will join OK, but I won't turn Randall into a jerk the way the film did - I promise! And hehe, well, you won't have to wait too long! You'll get to read more about the scare program soon! Thanks for the comment and sorry for my long review response here. :P  
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**Chapter XXXI  
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My sleep does not last long. I am woken up abruptly by a ear-splitting blaring sound coming from somewhere in the room. Head foggy and vision fuzzy, I sit up in bed and try to figure out what's going on. The bedroom seems to shake from each raucous screech of the alarm. Only now do I realize that the alarm is not just resounding in my bedroom – it's coming from several rooms in the school. Something must be wrong. Very, very wrong.

"May I have your attention please? All students are to gather just outside of the school. Again, all students are to gather out in front of the school. No trampling, pushing or shoving," a voice over the loudspeaker booms into my bedroom, making my ears ring.

Wondering what on earth could possibly be going on at this time of night; I immediately reach over to my nightstand and feel around for my glasses. When I hit something hard, I pick it up only to find that I've picked up a notebook, not my glasses. Cursing to myself for having such bad vision, I feel around on the smooth surface of the desk once again. This time, my hand hits something hard, but delicate. Now these have to be my glasses.

Dumping the purple, thick-framed glasses onto my nose, I let my vision clear and then start toward the doorway of my dorm room, the incessant blaring of the alarm still pounding through my head. Not surprisingly, the hallway is a chaotic mess. All of the dorm rooms are located on the fifth and sixth floor, so an entire half of the university students are trying to cram their way down the hallway to the flight of stairs that will lead them to the main floor of the building. Extremely grateful that I know a shortcut, I dodge several confused looking monsters and start weaving my way toward the end of the hallway where the elevator is located just around the corner. I'm tempted to ask someone what exactly is going on, but judging from the bewildered looks on most of the faces surrounding me, I figure that all of the other students are just as clueless as I am.

It takes me about three times the amount of time it normally takes for me to reach the elevator. Still, I can't complain since it would've taken me five times as long just to reach the stairs. Once I arrive at the elevator, I push the familiar bright red button and wait for the steel door to slide open. Under the circumstances, the red button seems to glint an ominous shade of crimson at me as if it is trying to warn me of some unforeseen evil.

I take the elevator down to the first floor, wind my way through the hallway as quickly as I can, and then come to a halt. Below the towering staircase is a large taped-off portion of the school. Police and detectives are gathered around something on the floor. Due to my small size, I am able to squeeze through the mass of monsters in the hallway and slide up right next to the yellow tape. Dark pools of blood that looks black in the dim lighting gleams from the taped off area. More thick droplets have been splattered all across the wall. There is a stretcher positioned next to one of the detectives. On top of the stretcher is a lump covered with a thin sheet. My eyes grow as wide as saucers as I realize that a murder must have taken place inside of the school walls.

Hoping that this is all just a bad dream and that it will fade away if I shut my eyes, I do just that. Apparently, shutting your eyes is not a good thing to do in a crowded hallway full of confused, panicking monsters. I am immediately jabbed in the ribs and stagger into the center of the swarming crowd, where I get pushed and shoved around even more. Apparently, this is not a dream after all.

As I'm carried away with the swarm of students who move toward the entrance to the university, I glance over my shoulder and notice the Dean talking to one of the detective. Her eyes are dark and her shoulders are slumped. If the headmistress is worried, then there is definitely a reason for us all to be worried.

Finally, after much pushing, shoving, and jarring, I find myself outside along with most of the other students. All late teenage monsters are gathered in the vernal green lawn to the left of the cobblestone pathway leading up to the school. In the sunlight, the school looks like a giant fortress, but in the murky moonlight and under the current circumstances, the school feels like it has a haunted air to it.

Since I have a hard time breathing in thick crowds, I make my way to the very edge of the gathering and wipe beads of sweat off of my forehead. Now that I'm outside, all I can do Is wait for the explanation that is sure to come whenever Dean Hardscrabble manages to break away from the detectives and police for a bit.

"Randy!" a familiar voice calls my name. Turning my gaze from the grass at my feet to the crowd of monsters in front of me, I manage to pick out a bean-shaped figure hurrying toward me. Panting slightly, Fungus comes to a halt next to me and wrings his hands together, asking nervously, "W-what's going on?"

"Do I look like I know what's going on? Does _anyone_ look like they know what's going on?" I ask little Fungus, not in the mood for stupid questions at the moment.

"I suppose that nobody knows what's going on," Fungus stammers nervously, looking from right to left as if he's afraid that a murderer is going to jump out at him from the trees or the bushes at any minute. He hesitates and then adds, "I s-saw the Dean with some detectives and the police. It l-looks like there's been some kind of accident."

"Really, Funk? I would never have guessed that," I say, the sarcasm oozing from my voice as I scan the area by the doors leading to the school for any sign of a teacher or the Dean who will give us an explanation. Forgetting that Fungus doesn't always understand sarcasm, I tilt my head to the left to find the speckled monster giving me a nonplussed look. Sighing, I go on, "Anyway, from the looks of things, whatever happened tonight was not an accident. It looks as if there's been a murder."

"A murder?" Fungus asks in shock, two of his eyes bugging out and the third one remaining closed because of the swelling around it. Shivering slightly, Fungus muses aloud, "Why would there be a murder here? This is a school, not a bad part of Monstropolis!"

"I've already told you that I'm as clueless as you are," I shrug my shoulders, trying to act calm and indifferent since Fungus is clearly about to lose it. The little guy can't seem to sit still. He paces back and forth and then walks circles around me, wringing his hands all the while. Despite the dim lighting, I can tell that the color has drained from Fungus' face and that he's turned an odd shade of pale pink.

"Are you sure that it was a m-murder?" Fungus stutters eyes wide and scared as he pauses momentarily in front of me.

"Why else would there be a stretcher with a body on it?" I answer Fungus' question with a question, knowing better than to lie to him. I could try and brush the subject off as a supposed accident, but the Dean will (hopefully) appear any minute now to give us the explanation that we deserve.

Fungus squeaks at my words and resumes his pacing. I can hear his breaths coming in short, fast gasps. I don't consider myself relatively calm. In fact, I'm usually the one getting extremely worked up over situations. However, it's clear to me that my anxiety is nothing compared to Fungus'. After a few more minutes of watching him walk circles around me, I decide that enough is enough.

"Funk, calm down," I order the little monster in a commanding voice, reaching forward and taking hold of his shoulders to stop his frantic pacing. Fungus looks up into my eyes, his still mirroring fear. His entire body trembles and I notice that his skin has turned pasty. Frowning, I shake Fungus' shoulders lightly and say, "You need to get a hold on yourself. The Dean or one of the professors will tell us what happened in just a minute. For now, you have to be patient. Who knows? I could be wrong and it could just be an accident or a misunderstanding."

Fungus nods and takes a shaky breath, attempting to follow my advice even though it's clearly hard for him to do so. I pinch one of his cheeks to bring the color back into it before letting his shoulders go. Fungus does not return to his pacing and instead stands by my side. He gives me a look out of the corner of his fearful eyes and dares to take my right hand. I don't typically like physical contact, but under the circumstances, I'm willing to hold Fungus' hand if it keeps him from completely losing it.

As our group continues waiting for the Dean or one of the professors to appear and explain the situation to us, I note a familiar electric green figure to my right. I know that this is not the right time or circumstance for teasing, but I can't help myself when I notice Wazowski in a sleeping cap, clutching a stuffed animal to his chest.

"Hey Wazowski!" I call out through the turmoil on the lawn. Despite the racket, the cyclops recognizes my voice and turns his eye onto me. Tilting my head, I ask, "Do you sleep with a teddy bear every night or do you have a large collection of stuffed animals to choose from?"

"This is not a stuffed animal. This is little Mikey!" Wazowski defends himself, giving me an evil-eyed glare. He looks me up and down, clearly trying to find a retort to my accusation. His gaze focuses in on Fungus and he raises an eyebrow, asking "Is that your boyfriend, Randall?"

A flare of anger ripples through me at Wazowski's accusation. He couldn't be any farther from the truth. I open my mouth to retort angrily to his accusation, but at that moment, the tall doors leading to the school open silently. The chatter thrumming from the large throng of students immediately ceases. A long line of police and detectives somberly step out of the massive building and start down the cobblestone pathway that will lead them away from the school. Each monster's face is blank and unreadable. It's impossible to tell anything from looking at these adults.

Finally, after all of the detectives and police have faded into the gloom, the door to the school opens a second time. This time, Dean Hardscrabble steps out into the moonlight, her expression grave and her lips in a thin line. She turns to look at us and clears her throat, saying in a strangely wobbly voice, "I apologize for having to sound an alarm at such an early hour. Believe me, it was never my intention to do so. Unfortunately, there has been a terrible accident that I must inform you of immediately. During all of my years at this school, no accident this large has happened before."

I exchange a look with Fungus at the word "accident". The little monster seems to stop trembling and looks ahead of himself at the Dean bravely. I honestly think that the whole thing about an accident is bullshit, but I keep my mouth closed for now. Judging from the blood and the body, a murder or some sort of crime took place.

The Dean runs a thin, clawed fingertip under her eye as if she's brushing a tear away before she goes on, "One of your fellow students, Charlie Harrison, has passed on tonight. Professor Knight found his body at the foot of the staircase as most of you likely noticed."

At these words, tumultuous talk breaks out in the large group of students. I don't know who Charlie Harrison is, but it is apparent that the rest of the school knew him quite well.

"Ahem," the headmistress clears her throat in an attempt to regain the students' attention. While the chatter dies back down, I exchange a look with Fungus, who shrugs slightly, telling me that he has never heard of Charlie Harrison. Once the chatter has ceased once more, Dean Hardscrabble says, "It appears as if young Mr. Harrison fell off down the staircase. I called the detectives and the police just in case the accident was more than just a simple accident. However, after examining Charlie's body and coming up with nothing, the detectives have decided that the young monster was not pushed and indeed fell off of the stairs on his own accord. However, if any of you know something about Charlie or about the situation at hand, I urge you to speak now."

Silence falls throughout the group of students. Not one single monster hand is raised. As the silence drags on, I think to myself about the likelihood of Charlie just happening to fall off of the towering staircase to his death below. Could Charlie really have fallen over the railing? Regardless of what the Dean says, I still think that it's more probable that he was murdered by someone pushing him over the railing.

"Very well then," the Dean sighs after a moment. "There has never been a monster death like this one at Monsters University before. I hope that this will be the first and the last for the year. Again, I apologize for sounding the alarm and rousing all of you. Unfortunately, if the case had proved to be a murder, you would all have been sent home. Let us be thankful that this was only an accident and nothing more."

The Dean's statement causes a sleepy Wazowski to suddenly jump to attention. He stares at the Dean in horror and jerks his hand up into the air. She fails to see him despite the fact that the cretin has taken to waving his hand vehemently back and forth in the air. Unable to keep silent, Wazowski finally blurts out without being called upon, "That's not really true though, is it, headmistress? We wouldn't actually get sent away from the school, would we? I _have_ to become a scarer! I can't just go back home!"

"Murderer is a very serious thing, Mr. Wazowski. I cannot let any of my students get hurt. Although the situation tonight was a result of an accident, there are still a few things I want to talk to all of you about. Firstly, Charlie Harrison must have been wandering the halls after curfew since his body was found after ten pm. I have the curfew set up for a reason. I expect all of you in your dorm rooms at ten 'o clock sharp with no exceptions. The other thing I want to mention is that I want you to make sure that you are being extremely careful on the staircase. I know that the stairs are steep and that the staircase is crowded most of the time, but please keep the pushing and shoving down. Your teachers will understand if you are a few minutes late to class," Dean Hardscrabble says, her face still tight and her forehead creased.

Suddenly, I feel an icy finger of realization brush down my spine at the Dean's words. Charlie's murder – yeah, I'm gonna call it a murder because I just don't see a student falling head over heels over the four foot high railing – happened at night after curfew. Who do I know who wasn't in his dorm room at the time of curfew? The image of a squid-like, hovering miscreant with a wickedly glittering crimson eye appears in the front of my mind. One-eyed Doom. He seems like just the type to cause some kind of trouble like this.

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_Review please! :)  
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	33. Chapter XXXII

**honorstudent97: I would definitely try and fight, but how, you know? I mean, how can I fight against a law, my parents, and a judge who is obviously going to be on their side? *cries* Thanks for the encouragement though; I do hope that I won't stay stuck here for forever. And ikr? Pixar beats Disney any old day. There are a few older Disney films that I like though. What about you?  
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**a fan: Congrats on getting a job! It's hard to fine one around here where I live. Apparently, Michigan is one of the worst states to find a job in right now. Do you like your job okay so far? It would suck having to get up earlier. I love sleeping in! But anyway, glad you're enjoying the story even more! Any idea who might be behind the murder? **

**marioandsonicFTW: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter! :) Suspense is a good thing, right? Hm, well, I wouldn't say that this story is related to the other one that much although they both take place during MU. I'd love it if you wanted to give it a read though. Not many people are reading it. :P Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Remy: Yep, I had a corn snake named Nikki. She was a real cutie, but I guess that pets can't live for forever. I have a python now. Her name is Roxanne and I really love her. I agree about all pets being family. I actually think that I'm closer to my pets than I am to my family if that makes sense? Yay, I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter so much! It was actually kind of a filler chapter because I got bored and wasn't sure what to write, haha. Charlie, well, Charlie was just a random dude. xD I made him up. :P George might have an assistant called Charlie though! And yeah, poor Randy having to room with Doom. Do you think that Doom is the murderer? Hope you're feeling better!  
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**Nymris: Definitely a plot twist! I doubt that Randall will say anything about the murder mainly because he tends to keep to himself. Do you think that he should mention Doom to the Dean? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: Thanks so much for liking the last chapter! Oh god, that's what I say when someone asks me about my ideas on something. xD I have a very overactive imagination as you can probably tell. I actually really, really like your prediction. Randall seems like the type who would throw things and break down over learning that he's going to lose his mind. That's a very dark piece of information to deal with. Thanks for reading!  
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**jade4563: Exactly! I mean, where did all of the blood come from otherwise, you know? Detectives are not so smart sometimes! Poor Randall having to live with a potential murderer. I would never sleep again if I was him, you know? Thanks for liking the stuffed animal bit! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**I-Like-Sulley: Bad Doom! *shakes my fist at him* So you think that Doom is behind the murder then? Hehe, I'm joining in the dancing! *dances at the party as well* Yeah, go away, Mike, nobody wants you here! *shoos him* Thanks for the comment!  
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**Mickfang27: Those are really good questions about the murder! It would be an interesting plot twist if it turns out that an innocent-looking character is behind them! Luckily, the next murder victim will not be any of the characters we recognize and love. God, yeah, Mike tutoring someone would just make him think that he's even more fabulous than he already thinks that he is. *rolls eyes* That's okay; I understand about not wanting to comment on two fics. Just out of curiosity, what do you like more about this story than the other one? It's okay that you like this one better, I'm just wondering if something is wrong with the other one. Sulley will probably be a little more sentimental than Randall over the murder because Sulley is a pretty caring guy. It is human nature to be self-centered though. So you're a combination of Sulley, Randall, and Chet? I'd say that I'm a Javier because I just sort of hang out in the background and do my own thing and nobody knows what to make of me, haha. Thanks for reading!  
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**Anna Sparkles: Yay, I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter so much! I honestly thought that it was a boring/filler chapter, haha. So Mike's your favorite character then? What do you like about Mike? I really love Randall, but my favorite characters are Chet, Johnny, and Javier. :) And hey, it's all good if you like the friendship stuff best because this story has been pretty friendship-based so far, don't you think? Let me know what you think of the this chapter and thanks so much for taking the time to review!  
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**badberry123: It's too bad that we don't know each other in real life because then we could talk about MI and MU as much as we wanted! But anyway, it's awesome meeting someone like you. :) Scott's scare was great! Everyone laughed/cheered in the theater during that part. I have so many favorite scares that I can't choose just one. There are talking Art, Mike, Scott, Johnny, and Sulley plushies! I found mine at Walmart. I have Johnny too and he's my favorite. He says, "You're not scary, you're adorable!" He's so cute. :P Thanks for trying to understand what I mean about the RORs even if we have different opinions on them. :) I think that Javier is supposed to be a bug, but yeah, he looks like a druggy. Did you notice that his pupils constrict during a few of the scenes? :P Oh my god, I love the idea for your one-shot! I'm all for tragedies actually. This story and my other one are both tragedies. Of course I'd read it - I'm sure that you're a great writer! Besides, RandallxFunk forever! Nothing beats a good love square, that's for sure. In my other fic, I have this huge, dramatic love triangle going on with Chip, Reggie, and Javier. It's fun to write. Yeah, this story definitely follows the movie plot to some degree! Hehe, Fungus actually does go to the scare games events and cheer Randall on! I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thought that would be cute. Aw, yay, I'm glad that you liked the last chapter so much! Although this story is mostly SulleyxRandall, there are definitely RandyxFunk moments in it and the two actually do get into a relationship for part of the story. Do you think that Doom is behind the murders or someone else? Either way, Randall had better be careful. Thanks again for taking the time to review this! I really love talking with you. :)  
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**Chapter XXXII  
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"Due to this very unfortunate and unforeseeable circumstance, all of tomorrow's classes have been cancelled. There will be services held for Charlie behind the school In the afternoon. Charlie was an orphan and was living on his own from what the records tell us about him," Dean Hardscrabble sighs miserably before going on, "The only exception regarding the classes tomorrow is the fact that I will still be holding the scare program I am teaching after school. I could use the break and I'm sure that my diligent students will not take kindly to sitting around all day," Dean Hardscrabble says, her eyes flickering over in my direction. It's almost as if she knows that I will not appreciate a day off of classes. Finally, the Dean finishes off, "You may all return to your dorm rooms now. I apologize once more about tonight. May Mr. Harrison's soul rest in peace."

With that said the Dean turns on her heel and enters the school once more in a swift motion. There is a momentary pause before the students react to the headmistress' words and start pooling toward the entrance of the school. It's gonna take a very long time to return to our dorm rooms, that's for certain. Not about to push and shove my way through the crowd, I stand still and analyze the circumstance further. Is it possible that Doom could have something to do with Charlie's death? I think it's all too ironic that Doom happened not to enter the dorm room last night, but now that I think about it, Doom rarely shows up at the dorm at all. As a matter-of-fact, I've only seen him in the room twice since I came to the college.

Fungus, who is following my lead and is not pushing his way to the front of the crowd like the other students, breaks into my thoughts and asks, "What are you thinking, Randy? You look upset."

"I'm not upset, just thinking, you know?" I tell Fungus, raising an eyebrow at him. He nods at me, but the questioning look remains on his face. Sighing, I give in and tell him what I'm thinking, "You're not going to like to hear this, but I don't think that Charlie fell over the staircase railing on his own."

"You d-d-don't?" Fungus asks, his stutter kicking in at full force as the blood starts draining from the speckled monster's face once again and his shoulders start shaking.

Cursing myself for alarming the already jumpy monster all over again, I reply, "No, I don't, but don't start flipping out on me again, Funk."

Fungus looks like he's about to flip out with his wide eyes, trembling bean-shaped figure, and quavering lip. However, he manages to keep it together and asks in an only slightly stammering voice, "If you don't t-think that's what happened, then what _do_ you think happened?"

I open my mouth to reply, but suddenly feel someone staring at me. Part of me assumes that it's just paranoia, but when I look up, a scarlet eye is staring at me from across the lawn. There is a good fifty meters between one-eyed Doom and me, but I don't dare voice my thoughts aloud this close to him just in case he is behind Charlie's murder. I don't fear for myself. I still think that I could easily take on the imbecile in a fight. Fungus, however, is a different story. Doom and his gang beat up the helpless monster once before. There's no telling that they won't do it again.

"Look, I'll tell you tomorrow, alright? Now's not a good time," I tell Fungus, lowering my voice even though I just told myself that there is no way that Doom can hear me through the chatter pulsing through the throng of students swarming into the school. "I'll meet you in the cafeteria at around four, okay?"

"What about breakfast?" Fungus asks meekly, apparently not wanting to wait to talk to me tonight.

"Geez, Funk, it's almost already breakfast time and I'm not the least bit hungry. I'm just gonna go back to sleep for a while, finish my science chapter when I wake up, and then do some studying," I inform Fungus, having already made up my plans for the following day. I clearly need something to do since I won't have class to attend.

"Well, al-alright," Fungus stammers.

The two of us finally manage to weed our way into the entrance of the school. With all the pushing and shoving going on, it's about impossible to stay with Fungus. However, before he can get swallowed up by the unruly crowd, I reach out and grab his shoulder, swinging the speckled monster back around to look at me. Fungus jumps at being grabbed, but immediately relaxes when he sees that it's just me.

"Randy, you scared me," Fungus points out, not sounding upset despite his words.

I should apologize, but my mind is on other topics and so I cut directly to my point, saying, "Fungus, I want you to be more careful. No more searching around the school for secret elevators and whatnot, okay?"

A burly monster with two bull-like horns on the sides of his head accidentally jams into me, causing me to lose hold of my grip on Fungus. I don't manage to catch his words, but do notice his nod as he disappears into the crowd. I won't deny the fact that I'm worried about him. Charlie was the first, but there's no telling who will be next. All I can be certain of is one thing; it's not gonna be Fungus if I have a say about it. I don't befriend other monsters easily, but I felt a sort of attachment between Fungus and myself the day we met. Maybe just having someone else who's been labeled as a geek and a nerd and who also doesn't quite fit in with the crowd is what connects us. Either way, I've grown fond of the little monster and I'm not about to let anything happen to him. Besides, he's supposed to be my scare partner. He obviously can't fulfill that job if he ends up like Charlie.

After what seems like an eternity although it probably is only thirty minutes in reality, I reach the elevator and take it up to the fifth floor. I'm forced to make my way through more hot, sticky, and sweaty bodies before I finally reach my dorm room. I waste no time in flinging it open and slamming it behind myself. Despite the talk Dean Hardscrabble just had with us about everyone staying in their dorms after curfew, one-eyed Doom is nowhere to be seen. At this point in the day, I'm pretty sure that he's not gonna show up.

Exhausted after working hard in my classes and from being woken up four hours too early, I retreat to my bed immediately. After carefully slipping my glasses off of my head and placing them on the wooden nightstand, I tuck myself under the sheets and close my eyes before getting sucked into a world of darkness.

My dreams are gruesome. I dream of nameless figures getting pushed off of tall precipices and falling down, down, down to the rocks below. I watch as their skulls split open and their limbs rip and tear, gushing blood everywhere. Atop the precipice is one-eyed Doom's morbid figure. The monster doesn't have a mouth, but something about the glitter of his eye tells me that if he did have one, he would be smirking at the bloodshed laid out before him. Suddenly, I recognize one of the bloody figures lying at the bottom of the jagged rocks. I rush to the figure, but it feels as if I'm moving through thick fog. When I finally reach the figure, I flip it over only to recoil immediately. Fungus has lost an arm and an eye. Thick, crimson blood trickles down the side of his face and his two remaining eyes are completely void of emotion. The little monster is dead.

I wake up in a cold sweat and jerk into a sitting position. My alarm clock tells me that it's only ten in the morning and that I'm taking last night's events too seriously. Fungus is fine. I'm just being paranoid like usual. Still, I'm tempted to get out of bed and go to his dorm room to check on the little guy. Unfortunately, I don't know the number of his dorm room, so I'm just gonna have to trust my instincts on this one and convince myself that he really is fine.

Once I manage to calm myself down from my vivid nightmare, I try to fall back asleep, but give up on that after about ten minutes. There are too many images of distorted figures and spilled blood rushing around inside my head. If I sleep, I'm just gonna fall right back into my nightmare.

Deciding to follow the plan that I laid out for myself the previous day, I slide out of bed and muffle a yawn before shuffling over to my desk. The rest of the morning and afternoon is spent finishing up my science chapter and then studying for arithmetic. I can add practically any numbers together at top speed at this point. Professor Knight ought to be proud. Feeling content, I slide the arithmetic book across the desk from myself and then glance at the clock. The afternoon has flown by and it's almost time for me to meet Fungus at the cafeteria.

Still a bit disconcerted after last night's dream, I decide to leave for the cafeteria a few minutes early. I haven't seen any sign of one-eyed Doom today. In fact, I haven't seen anyone at all today. When I open the door to my dorm room and step out into the hallway, I find that the entire school has been engulfed in a thick sort of gloom. Everyone is thinking about Charlie Harrison no doubt. I didn't know Charlie, but I still feel bad for him. The kid was pushed over the railing of the stairs, I've got no doubt about that.

Trying to ignore the eerie stillness of the hallway, I pass a few monsters walking quietly in groups of three with their heads down. One of the female monsters has glistening droplets trickling down the side of her face and another monster is offering her a tissue. I'm guessing that the service for Charlie must have just ended. I decided not to go to it because I didn't personally know Charlie. I wouldn't feel right attending the funeral of someone I never even knew.

After making my way to the elevator and then to the lunchroom, I step toward the large, opened doors and hold my breath. I know that my dream was nothing more than a dream, but the image of a bloodied Fungus with one eye missing and the other two eyes glazed in death is still imprinted in the front of my mind. I hurry into the cafeteria and turn my head this way and that as I look for my friend. There are too many tables filled with solemn monsters sitting at them. My eyes quickly flick over the room without seeing the familiar bespectacled, bean-shaped monster. My breath catches in my throat and I force myself to slow down and look more carefully through the lunchroom. Fungus has to be here somewhere. He's always on time and he always keeps his word.

"Hey Randy!" a voice says from directly behind me, causing me to jump about a foot into the air in shock. Whirling around, I find Fungus standing behind me with a tray heaped with food in his arms. He clutches the tray in his small orange hands and explains, "I was just getting us some dinner."

"Funk, don't you ever do that to me again!" I scold him, still trying to catch my breath from when Fungus practically gave me a heart attack.

Realizing that I'm upset, Fungus starts stammering as he sends me a nervous look out of the corner of his eye and asks, "D-don't ever do what again?"

"Don't scare me like that," I tell him, my words having a double meaning to them. I'll admit that I panicked when I didn't see him in the cafeteria right away and it's obvious that the little red monster practically gave me a heart attack when he snuck up on me from behind.

"S-sorry," Fungus stutters, head falling in shame as the two of us walk to an isolated table at the far end of the cafeteria away from all of the other tables. Fungus pulls out a chair that makes a squeaking sound against the polished lunchroom floor. I do the same, still feeling strangely jumpy. I have one of those bad gut feelings that something just ain't right. Pushing the tray of food at me, Fungus says, "I got this for us to s-share. You can have whatever you want."

"I'm not hungry. It's all yours," I reply since food is the last thing on my mind right now. I stare blankly at a spot on the wall across the room from us while Fungus picks up a carrot stick and begins crunching on it. Without thinking about what I'm saying, I find myself asking Fungus, "Did you go to Charlie's service today? Did you know him?"

Fungus doesn't look too surprised at my sudden change of subject. I think that Charlie Harrison's death is on every monster mind in this school today. Fungus swallows his bite of carrot before telling me, "I didn't go to the service. I...didn't want to go by myself. Besides, I didn't know Charlie. I think that he was older than us."

"Probably. I never saw him in any of our classes," I reply, mostly glad that Fungus didn't spend his afternoon wandering through the school and then attending a funeral. Just in case Doom is behind all of this, I don't want Fungus alone. Ever.

"Um, Randy?" Fungus asks me hesitantly, his voice hinting that he has something to say that I'm not gonna want to hear.

"What?" I ask him sharply, turning my head and fixing the speckled monster with sharp green eyes.

"I, uh, was just w-wondering if something is wrong," Fungus asks nervously as I turn the full force of my gaze on him. He passes the remaining carrot stub in his right hand to his left hand and then back to his right hand again before continuing, "It just seems like something might be bothering you."

I could tell Fungus about my dream, but decide against it. He got worked up enough last night just considering the possibility that Charlie's death wasn't on accident. I can, however, ask Fungus what he thinks about dreams and whether or not they're destined to come true without telling him about my dream though. Since I can't deny that the matter is on my mind, I place my webbed hands under my chin and continue looking at Fungus as I ask slowly, "What do you think of premonitions? Can we trust them?"

"Um, premonitions? You mean like dreams?" Fungus asks before popping the rest of his carrot stub into his mouth. I nod without removing my eyes from Fungus. The little monster chews slowly and thinks for a moment before saying, "I don't think that dreams tell the future if that's what you're asking me. I think that we just dream about whatever is on our mind at the time when we go to sleep."

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_Review please! :)  
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	34. Chapter XXXIII

**honorstudent97: I would just pack up and leave, but my mom told me that she could send the police after me and that they'd take me to an institution supposedly. I have a feeling that she's bullshitting me to some extent, but I really don't want to end up in the loony bin, so that's why I haven't made a move yet. Also, I love Pinocchio! That's one of my all-time favorite Disney movies. Who's your favorite character in it?  
**

**a fan: Oh man, I don't think that I'd like your job much if you have to get up at 5 am everyday! 7 am is my absolute earliest. :P At least it's just for this week though, right? That's a good thought about Doom. There are lots of bullies out there who definitely aren't murderers. Who knows? The murderer could be a character who hasn't even been introduced yet. Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Aw, thank you so much! I agree that Fungus and Randall make a very cute couple! *high fives you* Sadly, RandallxFunk seems to be a very unpopular pairing. I don't think that there are any stories about them on here. :(  
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**Remy: I'm glad that you like corn snakes as well! I agree that snakes are really beautiful creatures. :) Do you have a favorite kind of snake? I'll definitely say hi to Roxanne for you. She's a big sweetie. Anyway, that's a shame that you can't have a snake! Do you have any other pets? I get more attached to animals than to people as well, so you're definitely not alone there. That's a good prediction about Doom! I'll go ahead and tell you that Doom is somehow connected to the murder if that helps at all. Thanks for reading this!  
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**Nymris: I agree with you completely about Randall and Fungus; I don't think that there's anyone else that Randall would feel so protective over. Funk won't get hurt too badly, so no worries. Honestly, it's Randall who we have to worry about. =/ Oh god, that's exactly what happens to me when I dream! I have a nightmare and then I fall asleep right back into it again. For some reason, the idea of Doom dancing made me laugh. :P I can just picture this really intimidating monster on the dance floor and now I'm falling off of my chair. xD  
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**jade4563: Yeah, poor Randall getting horrible nightmares! I get them a lot. How about you? That's a good point about Doom possibly selecting Randall as his next target. And why is Doom staring at Randall like a perv? Well, there's only one thing that pervs want. *cough* Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: I'm so happy that you liked the last chapter! Omg, I know that feeling about everyone acting really distant and gloomy after a death. I hate the after effects of a death. It seems to influence everyone, you know? I completely understand how you like Behind Closet Doors more than Born to Please since your frame of mind is more similar to Randall's than to Chet's. That makes a lot of sense. I think more like Randall too, but Chet is fun to write, so yeah. xD No need to apologize though because I understand completely. I'm sorry about the dreams that you have! *hugs* Those don't sound very nice. :S I tend to get nightmares a lot, but most of mine revolve around getting sent to a psych ward or getting stuck in a hospital for a long period of time. I have a huge fear of doctors and I've been told that I have mental issues even though I think that I'm just fine. Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**Anna Sparkles: Thanks for liking the previous chapter as well! It's awesome that you like reviewing because I love getting reviews! They really make my day. :) Aw, that's a shame that you're not 13 yet, but at least you can write guest reviews, right? I prefer Mike better in MI than in MU too. He's funnier in that movie, don't you think? You're not alone with cartoon crushes; I have several myself. Yeah, I love Johnny, he's one of my crushes actually. *hides* I like Fungus though too. He's really adorable. Thanks for the comment!  
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**badberry123: I feel the same way; I could go on about MU and MI for forever. Good idea about moving on to MI though! I have two favorite parts in MI. I love the bit at the beginning with Randall and Sulley fighting for the scare record and I love the ending chase with Randall, Mike, Sulley, and Boo. It feels really dramatic and I was on the edge of my chair the first time that I watched it. I also really like Celia, so I'm glad that she's a character in MI. What do you like about MI? Mhm, the people in the theater were being really loud, but that just added to the excitement imo! Hehe, my Johnny plushie is cute. He also says, "RORs are the best scarers on campus" and "Johnny Worthington, president of Roar Omega Roar". xD I like Jav's eyes. If you look closely, he has these awesome violet irises. Um...yeah, I spend too much time looking at MU characters' eye colors. Anyway, yes, Scott's mom's name is Sheri! I wish that a MU character had my name! I'd definitely read your story! There's a lack of good MI fics on here in my opinion. Slash pairings are the best! *high fives you* I feel the exact same way about my characters accidentally getting out of character. I've been so nervous about my Randall and my Sulley in this. :S People don't seem to think that they're too OOC though, so that's good. Omg, I see Fungus behaving that way toward Sulley too! He thinks that Randall "deserves better" so to speak. Those are good thoughts on Doom. He is related to the murder in a sense. *nods* I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! And omg, amazing prediction! Doom's gang (which is mostly made up of the ROR dudes) might later pick on Funk, which would result in Randy trying to interfere, which would then lead to lots of drama. Thanks for reading!  
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**Chapter XXXIII  
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I nod slowly in reply to Fungus' statement regarding dreams. He said exactly what I wanted to hear; that dreams are not predictions of the future. That dream I had about Doom murdering Fungus and countless other monsters at the university most likely only got into my head because I was thinking about Doom, the murders, and my scare partner right before I fell asleep last night. I find that I'm able to relax slightly now, but not completely. My shoulders stay stiff and hunched and my lips remain in a thin line.

I can sense Fungus looking intently at me from the chair to my right, but he knows better than to ask me about my dream. After a few moments of silence besides for the noise of Fungus continuing to chomp on carrot sticks, the smaller monster dares to ask me, "What were you going to tell me last night? You told me that you would tell me what you thought happened to Charlie today."

"Oh, that. Right," I say before hesitating. I don't know what I was thinking last night when I said that to Fungus. Telling him about my suspicions regarding one-eyed Doom and Charlie's death is only gonna make Fungus panic. Trying to weave my way out of this, I try to dismiss the subject and say, "It was nothing. In fact, looking back on it, what I was gonna tell you is stupid."

"I still want to hear it," Fungus replies obstinately, showing me that he has a stubborn streak in him despite his meek personality. Picking up a slice of celery, he adds, "I don't care if it's stupid or not."

"You just don't give up, do you?" I ask, shaking my head wryly at Fungus. He blushes and shrugs his shoulders. Smoothing my fronds, I search the lunchroom for any signs of Doom. Only when I'm positive that the cafeteria is Doom-free do I lean forward and speak to Fungus in a low voice, "You're not gonna like hearing this, but you just told me that you want to know what I was going to tell you last night, so this is your own fault. I, for one, don't think that Charlie fell over the railing on the stairs. The railing is at least four feet high. That idea is just utter bull. The monster was pushed and I think that I know exactly who did it. Tell me, Funk, in the few days that we've been here, who stands out to you as a violent, unpredictable student?"

"Um," Fungus starts out, mid-bite. He thinks for a moment before suggesting, "Well, there's Wazowski and Sullivan. They're always fighting and stirring up trouble. I don't think that they would actually kill someone though, Randy. Certainly not just for the fun of it anyway. I don't know why anyone would do something like that!"

"Name someone besides for Wazowski and Sullivan," I press Fungus, also not seeing either of those two monsters as potential murderers. Fungus thinks for another moment, but comes up blank. He shrugs his shoulders at me, causing me to give him an incredulous look as I suggest, "What about one-eyed Doom, hm? You've been here three days and his gang already picked on you once and beat you up. Don't tell me that you've forgotten this." I point at Fungus' swollen eye before reaching out and tracing light, webbed fingertips over top of the large bruise on Fungus' cheek. "Or this."

Fungus shudders slightly at my touch and I quickly withdraw my hand, not wanting to hurt him. His eyebrows knot together and the speckled monster stares at his lunch tray dubiously before meeting my eyes and saying, "So let me just make sure that I've got this straight. You're saying that you think Doom killed Charlie?"

"Pretty much, yeah," I nod gravely, returning Fungus' stare steadily. "And it's not just because he beat you up or because his gang is constantly causing trouble for the other students. You remember how Dean Hardscrabble said that the murder took place after curfew last night, right? Well, it just so happens that Doom never came to our dorm room last night. In fact, he_ never_ comes to the room. I have no clue what he does at night other than wander the halls."

"That's insane, Randy. Insane with a tiny percent of possibility to it, I suppose," Fungus admits slowly. I nod once, satisfied that I've gotten Fungus to see things from my point of view without completely flipping out. Suddenly, the red monster's eyes narrow and he whispers all in a rush, "I see Sullivan as a likely subject too. Look at him. He's staring at you right now!"

"Where?" I hiss at Fungus, slowly turning my head to the right to scan the tables for a shaggy blue monster. Fungus points to the left. Even more slowly, I turn my gaze to my left and notice that Fungus is right. Sullivan is indeed watching me from where he's sitting at a lunch table with Don and Scott. The threesome is unusually quiet. Turning my focus back to Fungus, I inform him, "Sullivan's no murderer. He's a good scarer, but he'd never hurt a fly. We're looking at suspects who are sadistic, monsters who kill for the pleasure of it."

My words cause Fungus to shudder and he ends up dropping his carrot stick, apparently no longer hungry. He shoves the food tray away from himself and mumbles, "I don't like thinking that there are any murderers here in this very school. You never know, Randy. Charlie really could have just fallen over the railing of the staircase. He was out of his dorm after curfew, right? There's a possibility that he could've been partying with a group of friends and gotten drunk. Drunk monsters do strange things."

"Yeah, sure," I reply dismissively to Fungus. At this point, he's just making feeble attempts to obscure the truth. Charlie was murdered and that's that.

Fungus abruptly changes the subject and slides his chair closer to mine, causing another loud screeching noise as the chair creates friction against the floor. He hisses in my ear, "I still think that Sullivan is a suspect. Look! He's w-walking towards us right now? What do you think he wants? Should we d-do something?"

As Fungus' alarm rises, his stuttering increases. Without looking over in Sullivan's direction so I don't seem like I've been watching him this entire time, I whisper back to Fungus, "We just act normally, that's what we do. Sullivan isn't a bad guy, Funk."

Fungus doesn't look convinced and keeps his thin red lips shut. A moment later, I hear the distant thud, thud, thud of feet approaching our lunch table. Trying to act normal, I reach out mindlessly and grab a random item off of the lunch tray before bringing it to my mouth. I take a bite out of it and almost immediately spit out whatever I've just eaten. Looking down at the remaining white stalk in disgust, I ask Fungus, "What the hell is this stuff? It's disgusting."

Despite his earlier worries, Fungus cracks a small smile at me as he explains, "It's called cauliflower, Randy. It's supposed to be very good for you."

"Eh, who gives a damn about that? This stuff is inedible," I decide, throwing my remaining stalk back onto the lunch tray, still trying to get the foul taste of vegetable out of my mouth.

I'm busy looking around for water or something to wash the awful taste down with when Sullivan finally approaches the table. He nods at a chair across the table from me and says, "Hey Randall. Mind if I sit here?"

"You don't have to ask my permission. Sit wherever you want. It's a free country, you know," I point out wryly as I offer Sullivan a half-smile. He returns the gesture and plops down on the chair opposite mine. I glance across the room to see what's happened to Scott and Don. They're no longer anywhere to be seen. I'm gonna assume that they left the lunch room and that's the only reason why Sullivan is bothering to sit with me. Oh well, it's not like I mind his company although it appears as if someone else does.

Turning my head to the right, I notice Fungus giving Sullivan an extremely distrustful look out of the corner of his eye. I narrow my own eyes in turn and wonder what it is about Sullivan that Fungus dislikes so much. It's as if he dislikes him as much as Wazowski even though the one-eyed cretin is about a hundred times worse than Sullivan. Then again, there is a possibility that Fungus knows something about the turquoise monster that I don't know. I'll have to ask him about this later.

Looking a little uncomfortable, which probably has something to do with the way that Fungus is glaring at him, Sullivan shifts awkwardly in his chair and gives me an uneasy smile. Seeing that it's up to me to break the silence, I clear my throat and say, "So, what do you think about the chaos from last night, Sullivan? What do you think_ really_ happened?"

The shaggy beast's azure eyes take on a look of sorrow at the reference to Charlie's death. Let me guess, Sullivan knew him personally. It seems as if everyone knows the school's top scarer and that the school's top scarer knows everyone else. Still looking very grave, Sullivan admits, "I don't know what happened since I wasn't wandering around the hallways at night. Regardless of what happened, I'm really going to miss Charlie. He was a really great guy.

"Sullivan, tell me something," I order, leaning across the table toward my rival and propping my index fingers together underneath my chin in the shape of a steeple as I ask curiously, "How is it that you know everyone in this gigantic building after only being here three days?"

"I honestly have no idea," Sullivan replies, smiling wryly at my comment. "I suppose it has something to do with the fact that monsters keep coming up and introducing themselves to me. I try to remember all of their names although I have to admit that I've forgotten about half of them. Monsters around here seem very friendly."

"It depends on who you are," Fungus points out, his tone uncharacteristically unfriendly and cold as he looks in Sullivan's direction. "Randy thinks that Charlie was murdered."

I don't know if Sullivan or I look more shocked at Fungus' sudden interruption in the conversation. Something odd is going in that speckled monster's mind although I haven't figured out what it is yet. Only five seconds ago, he was telling me to stop talking about the possible murder. Now, out of the blue, he suddenly brings it up all on his own. There's something fishy going on here.

A momentary silence forms between the three of us as Fungus' words hang in the air. The little monster has blushed a deep shade of crimson and has now retreated back within himself like usual. Sullivan looks shocked and I am giving Fungus a look that says what-did-you-tell-him-that-for? Finally, Sullivan turns uneasy eyes on me and asks, "What makes you think that it was a murder, Randall? Dean Hardscrabble seemed pretty convinced that the whole thing was an accident. Even the detectives said it was an accident."

"Screw what the detective say. Really, what could they possibly know? They've probably never set a foot in this school before yesterday," I say dismissively before realizing that I'm sounding like a paranoid freak, something that I do not want to sound like in front of Sullivan. Trying to wrap up the subject and direct us onto a new topic, I continue on, "All I'm saying is that we should all be extremely careful around here and watch one another's backs. Get what I mean?"

Sullivan's face relaxes and he nods, replying, "Yup. We could always use a little more team spirit around here."

"Uh huh," I nod once, returning Sullivan's half-smile as I add, "Tell that to Wazowski, won't you?"

"I've been working on it for the last few days, but I don't think that I've gotten the point across yet," Sullivan sighs before getting a determined gleam in his eyes, adding, "I'll keep on working at it until I get the point across though. I'm not going to give up until I get Mike to see things from my point of view. Like you said, it's important for us all to work together right now."

"I know that you're no quitter, Sullivan," I reply, showing full confidence him. The two of us lock gazes for a moment before I am suddenly aware of a very different stare upon my face. Jerking my eyes away from Sullivan's, I see Fungus giving the two of us that same distasteful look from earlier. It's a look that I'm not used to seeing on the smaller monster's face. He usually looks upset, frightened, or happy. Disdain is a new look for him. I'm trying to figure out what Funk's problem is when I happen to glance at the clock hanging on the opposite wall of the cafeteria. Cursing under my breath, I point out, "I have to be at the gym for the Dean's scaring program in five minutes. I'd better go."

"Yeah, you probably should. Five minutes isn't a lot of time although at least the gym is just down the hallway and around the corner from the cafeteria," Sullivan points out optimistically. "I should go and get started on my science homework anyway. I keep hoping that it's going to read itself. Are we still on for next Friday?"

"Of course we are unless you've changed your mind about it," I reply, raising a quizzical eyebrow at the shaggy monster.

Sullivan shakes his head rapidly as he gets up from his chair, creating another loud, ear-splitting screech as the chair drags across the polished floor. It seems as if the cafeteria is always echoing from the sounds of moving chairs these days. Smiling confidently at me, Sullivan says, "I never change my mind, Randall. You'll see that I'm a pretty reliable guy. Good luck with your scaring class today!"

"Yeah, thanks," I say as Sullivan turns and disappears into the crowd. I turn and find myself face-to-face with a less than happy Fungus.

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_Review please! :) Also...sorry for not posting yesterday. I was kind of going through an emotional breakdown and I've felt like my writing is crap lately.  
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	35. Chapter XXXIV

**honorstudent97: Thanks. :) My parents are thinking about sending me to an overnight eating disorder clinic again, so I'm honestly thinking about making a run for it and bringing it to court if my parents do send the police after me. And hehe, villains are great! What's your favorite part of Pinocchio? I, um, sort of ship John and Gideon. I know, I know, I'm a shipping nut. xD  
**

**a fan: Omg, you had to get up earlier than 5? God, I would be dead right now if I was you. Are you really exhausted? That's a very good thought about whether or not Fungus and Sulley have history together. If they did, it would explain Fungus' attitude, that's for sure. I'll just go ahead and tell you that you're right about the murderer. Thanks for reading!**

**Mysterious: Yay, you're back! *cheers* I missed you! God, that sucks about your motor going out! That's so unfair that your brother tried to blame you for it. D: Your parents didn't believe him, did they? Ooo, a Sims Randall would be awesome! Let me know when you make one, okay? Thanks so much for liking all of the chapters!**

**marioandsonicFTW: Aw, thanks for cheering me up and for the sympathy! *hugs* I'm glad that you're still liking this story. Let me know what you think of this chapter!**

**James95: Thank you so much for the compliment about my writing! I usually end up feeling very self conscious about it, so I'm glad to hear that someone is enjoying it. :) Are you a RandallxSulley shipper then? Haha, yeah, Fungus does seem to have that vibe to him and who's to say that Sulley isn't thinking dark, pervy things about Randall? ;) Thanks so much for the comment. I hope that you keep reading this!  
**

**BloodRedRoses04: I'm...surviving. I've been rethinking life lately and sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it, but anyway, I'm sure you don't want to hear about my random problems. Hope you like this next chapter.  
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**Remy: I like all snakes as well including the dangerous ones. I think that cobras are really intriguing for some reason. That's very true about pythons. Roxanne is a lot more docile than Nikki, my corn snake. Ice sounds like a real sweetie! I have a cat named Isis (the names Ice and Isis seem similar to me for some reason). And omg, I used to have a cockatiel! Birds make great pets imo. No problem about the hint! If you ever want any more hints regarding anything in the chapters, just let me know!  
**

**JinxConlon: That's true; Randy is in trouble! I don't think that I've seen you review before. Did you just start reading this? I love getting new reviewers!**

**I-Like-Sulley: That's a good question! You'll find out what Funk wants in this next chapter. :) Sulley and Randy are going to have lots more chats in the near future. Thanks for reading this!  
**

**jade4563: I'm glad to hear that you don't get nightmares very often. I had one earlier and woke up all panicky. :P You're not the only one with a dirty mind. Doom could very well be a perv, haha. And yay for cauliflower! I think that Fungus is saying that Sulley is the murderer just because he's jealous, you know? Jealousy can make people (or monsters in this case) say stupid things sometimes. Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: I would say that in this case jealousy is more than likely Fungus' problem with Sulley, so that's a very good guess! *high fives you* You're right in saying that the murderer is probably an athletic male or female monster, so good prediction there. I watch Criminal Minds too! It's nice to see that I'm not the only one who watches it. xD Haha, that's funny about how Chet's really loud roar reminded you of a Nightmare on Elm Street. I haven't watched that movie actually, but I do tend to watch a lot of horror in general. Let's hope that Chip isn't too mad about the sunset. He seems like the kind of guy who would stay calm over it though, don't you think? And yeah...Chet needs to learn that there's more to life than pleasing Johnny. xD Thank you so much for the review!  
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**Anna Sparkles: Yay, I'm glad to hear that you liked the last chapter as well. :) Hm, you're right about Fungus acting a little suspicious. I guess that gives you something to think about, huh? Same thoughts here about Randy! He sure changed a lot from the time of MU to MI. His glasses make him look a lot cuter, don't you think? Thanks about the breakdown thing. I've been feeling really unstable lately, so support is nice. Thanks for the comment!  
**

**AngeliqueRox: Oh my, thank you so much for the compliment about my writing! It brought a smile to my face. :) Anyway, I'm really glad that you're enjoying my portrayal of Randall. Like you, I didn't particularly like the way he went from a shy, geeky nerd to a sly, devious villain all because he wanted to fit in with the "cool kids". I was hoping that Randall would have a complicated backstory, but boy was I wrong! I ended up becoming more anti-social in my teenage years due to bullying and abuse, so that's what I have happen to Randall. About the food thing, I have an eating disorder, so I probably accidentally transferred that over to Randall, lol. I don't have schizo myself, but I feel like I still have a pretty good grip on the illness. So I take it that you're a Randall fan? Thanks again for the review!**

**badberry123: Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear that you're continuing to like the updates! That really means a lot to me! It's fun to write Funk feeling so jealous over Randy and Sulley! In some ways, I'm a bit like Fungus because I'd feel that exact same way if I happened to be in love with my best friend who is crushing on someone else. I'm usually really quiet, but I'd probably give my friend's crush the evil eye just like Funk! Glad you liked the descriptions in the last chapter. You're so complimentary! :) Omg, Mike singing to Randall in MI is hilarious! I love that, "Can it, Wazowski!" line and the way Randall immediately tries to have a serious convo with Sulley after that. The Abominable Snowman always reminds me of Hamm from Toy Story for some reason. I watch too many Pixar movies, I guess. xD You don't like Celia much? She's my favorite MU/MI female actually. Who's yours? Aw, well, I like enthusiasm in movie theaters! It adds to the drama if you ask me. Thanks so much for the great review!  
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**Chapter XXXIV  
**

Fungus is frowning at me with his orange hands folded over his arms. His grim expression informs me that something is wrong and that the "something wrong" is Sullivan. I don't see what Fungus' problem with the shaggy blue monster is. Yeah, he looks a little intimidating upon first glance, but Sullivan is one of the nicest monsters around this place after you get to know him. Raising an eyebrow at Fungus, I start to stand up since I don't want to be late for my scaring class and ask him succinctly, "What?"

"Well, don't you find that at all the least bit suspicious?" Fungus asks me in a grave voice, his eyes traveling from my face through the masses of monsters swarming through the cafeteria until he finds Sullivan's retreating figure. "He could likely be the suspect we're looking for. Don't you think that it's odd that he happened to glance in your direction and come over here to talk to us right when you were telling me about how you think that Charlie's death wasn't an accident? The way he looks at you isn't right, Randy! I think that you could be the next victim if you're not careful.

"Wait, wait, wait," I repeat my words three times to get my point across. Something weird is going on with Fungus. Holding up my hand, I send him a suspicious look and state, "Five minutes ago, you didn't want to talk about the murder. You were the one who kept telling me that it was an accident and whatnot. So tell me this, why did you suddenly change your mind? You're trying to frame Sullivan and don't try to deny it. What is it about him that you don't like? He's decent, Funk. Much more decent than Wazowski and a lot of other blokes around this place."

"I just don't trust him," Fungus insists, his voice not quavering for once even though he is refusing to meet my eyes, a sure sign that he is lying about something or another. I'm not fooled so easily. Twisting his orange hands together, which I've noticed is a nervous habit of his, Fungus continues on, "Why are you meeting him on Friday night? You shouldn't be meeting up with monsters like him!"

"Calm down, Funk! My god. What's gotten into you?" I ask incredulously, Fungus' paranoia starting to get to me. I'm gonna end up jumping at my own shadow in a few minutes if he keeps this up. "The only reason I'm meeting with Sullivan on Friday is so we can exchange scaring strategies. Sullivan promised to teach my some of his secrets and I promised to teach him some of my moves. Of course, I'm the only one who's gonna get anything out of the meeting because Sullivan isn't capable of performing most of my moves anyway. He can't stick to the walls like I can or hang from the ceiling by his tail. I suppose that you could say I'm taking advantage of him, but he offered, so it's his loss."

Fungus watches me shrug my shoulders and seems to calm down just a bit. After a moment, he asks, "So you two aren't like friends or anything?"

"Friends? Really, Funk? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Sullivan and I are as different as fire and ice. We can get along from a distance, but with the rivalry between us, we could never be friends even if we wanted that. Besides, I don't make friends easily. Either way, what's it to you, Funk?" I ask, suddenly finding the smaller monster's interest in my friendships a little over the top. Fungus' red cheeks blush a shade of dark crimson and he doesn't answer me. Suddenly, everything is perfectly clear inside my head. It's as if I've been wandering around in the darkness and now someone has just flipped the light switch on. Giving Funk a matter-of-fact look, I say, "You're jealous, aren't you? Well, you don't need to be. Sullivan could barely even be called an acquaintance of mine."

"Oh," Fungus replies, not saying much although my words clearly relieve him. His shoulders relax and the creases leave his forehead. Changing the subject before I end up arriving at my scare class late, Fungus adds, "Maybe you should get going. I don't want you to be late on your first day of the scare program."

"Good point. Guess I should get out of here. I'll see you soon, okay? Watch your back for me. Everything I told you about one-eyed Doom earlier is true. I don't trust the bastard and I don't want you getting into his way, got that?" I ask Fungus, wanting some sort of reassurance that he's going to try his best not to get into Doom's way again.

"Sure boss. It's nice to know that someone cares," Fungus tells me, another blush creeping up his neck.

I say goodbye to Fungus for the final time and then hurriedly slip between the clusters of students grouped together in the hallway. I have no time to lose at this point. After making it out of the suffocating crowd in the cafeteria, I have a much easier time getting to the gym. The hallways are next to barren at this time of day. My thoughts swirl around in an unsorted muddle as I wonder about what this scare class is going to be like, if Doom really does have something to do with Charlie's murder or not, and why Fungus is so jealous of my possible friendship with Sullivan.

Pushing the heavy doors to the gym open, I slide inside the spacious room and notice that the gym has been transformed for the time being. Lots of items, obstacles, and equipment that have nothing to do with staying physically fit are kept in crates around the room. There is a strange backdrop changer in one corner of the room. If you pull the rope attached to the two wooden poles holding up several different backdrops, a new one will fall forward. I can't help but wonder what the purpose of this item is.

"Good evening, Mr. Boggs. It's nice to see that you've joined us right on time as always," Dean Hardscrabble says in an approving voice. She waves me over to a much smaller group than I expected to see and murmurs, "Come and sit down with us. I'm just about to give you the brief overview of this class."

I nod immediately and hurry toward the place where the Dean along with the other students are sitting on the gym floor. I can already tell just from this seating arrangement that this class is going to be far less formal than any of my other classes. The monsters have formed a circle and are sitting in a circular shape with a few gaps in it. I fill one of the empty gaps and take a quick glance to my right and to my left to see if I recognize an of the monsters here. I don't. Most of them are big and burly and appear to be a year or two older than me. None of them are reptilian.

"First of all, I want to thank you all for coming here today," the headmistress says, folding her hands calmly in her lap as she continues on, "I know that last night and today have been rough for you. I apologize for all the inconveniences. However, now that we are here, let us forget the grave circumstances from earlier and focus on what we're really here for - scaring. I selected the group of monsters you see spread out around you for three basic reasons. Firstly, I noticed a conviction to achieve in the scaring field within each and every one of you. Secondly, I believe that each of you have certain talents or gifts that I can hopefully help you to bring to your full potential. Finally, it is my wish for all of you to graduate from Monsters University and become scarers for Monsters Inc. In today's day and age what with the energy shortage and all, we need dedicated monsters like you more than ever."

A murmur of agreement sounds throughout the ring of students. I keep my eyes focused on the Dean even though I'm tempted to look around at my piers to try and figure out what their special gifts and talents might be. Mine is clearly my ability to camouflage.

"In this class, I am going to take turns working with you individually to help bring you to your full potential," the Dean informs us. "Today, I am going to talk to each of you about your special gift and how I think it will benefit you in the field of scaring. When it is time for me to talk with you, I will call your name. In the meantime, feel free to explore the items in the crates spread throughout the room. I trust that some of you might find certain items useful in your scaring career. Mr. Waxford, I'd like to speak with you first."

A slender green monster with five shifty eyes hurries to the front of the group to speak with the headmistress while the rest of us get to our feet and scatter around the room. I purposefully head to the corner where none of the other monsters are gathered. There's only one crate on this side of the room as well as the strange device that flips backdrops that I saw earlier. Firstly, I look in the crate. All sorts of odds and ends items are piled haphazardly within it. My eyes travel back across the gym to the Dean, wondering if this is some kind of joke. However, the Dean's face is solemn as she talks to Waxford and I highly doubt that she would consider this sort of thing funny.

Since I don't have any any what to do with the pieces of junk in my crate, I look across the room to see if the monsters over there are having any more luck than me. Not surprisingly enough, they are. One of the monsters has found a set of fake pointed teeth and has placed them in his mouth to give him a scarier look. They actually look good on him.

Feeling a little more inspired, I rifle through the rest of the objects in my crate, but don't find anything useful. By now, the Dean has finished talking to Waxford and has moved on to a monster I don't recognize. Having exhausted the crate already, I move over to the strange backdrop device. Reaching upward, I pull on the rope and switch the five foot wide by five foot high backdrop from a sky blue color to the pattern of bricks. Curious, I tug on the rope again and change the bricks to the texture of bright green grass.

I'm still puzzling over what this peculiar device is used for when I hear light footsteps from behind me. I quickly move my hand away from the rope and turn around to face the Dean. A faint smile flicks around her lips as she murmurs, "I thought that you might be the one who would find this backdrop flipper the most interesting item in the room."

Not sure if this is a compliment or not, I ask curiously, "What is it used for?"

"That's a very good question. It is to help monsters who possess the gift of camouflage into learning how to control their gift. I'm talking about monsters just like yourself, Mr. Boggs. You told me on our first meeting that you know that you can blend in with your surroundings, right?" the Dean confirms. I nod and she continues on, "In future classes, I am going to have you work with this device. You will use it to help you achieve full control over your talent. Tell me, Mr. Boggs, have you ever been able to control your gift before?"

"Yeah," I admit, feeling a little sheepish as I admit, "Turning my scales to the color of my background was never all that difficult at home. When I came here, things were different. I haven't been able to control my camouflaging ability since. I don't know why."

"Hm," Dean Hardscrabble muses aloud as she taps her chin with a long, bony finger. "I do not know this for certain, but I would assume that this change in your ability to control your talent has to do with your mood. I assume that you are less comfortable at the school than you are at home. Your feelings could easily influence your abilities."

I think about this for a moment before realizing that the Dean's words make sense. It's not surprising that my emotions influence my ability to camouflage. Thinking back, I remember the first time my gift failed me. It was when I was on the bus and was trying to show off for Scott Squibbles and Don Carlton. I also remember that Sullivan was staring at me out of the corner of his eyes while I was trying to morph into the colors of my background.

Not wanting to ask too many idiotic questions since the Dean is the one who will decide whether or not I graduate at the end of the year, I try to put two and two together and say, "So by controlling my emotions, I will have a better chance at controlling my abilities?"

"Exactly," the headmistress nods, offering me a small smile. She's obviously glad to see that we're on the same page.

I have several more questions for the Dean racing around in my head, but I decide to ask just one more for now. "Are there any specific things that I should to do help myself camouflage?"

Dean Hardscrabble opens her mouth to speak and then glances over at the clock hanging on the wall of the gym opposite from us. Sighing, the Dean says, "I'd love to spend more time talking with you about the matter, but I only have a certain amount of time to spend with each student today. Next time we meet, I will give you some tips that I think might be useful to you in learning how to control your abilities. You're dismissed unless you'd like to stay and look in the crates some more. I have to admit that I don't think that you'll find anything too useful in them though. I mainly set up the backdrop flipper for you. You're my only student who has the ability to camouflage himself this year. Have a good evening, Mr. Boggs."

I return the sentiment and watch the Dean call another student over to her. Seeing no point in wasting my time here if the headmistress doesn't think that there is anything useful for me left in the crates, I decide to make my way upstairs to my dorm room. I might as well study for my science chapter and then read a bit of my textbook on scaring if I get extra time. My feet absentmindedly pad down the hallway and around the corner to the elevator. In about five minutes, I've arrived at my room. I reach for my door key only to find that the little green light on the door handle indicates that the door is already unlocked. I frown to myself as I realize that this can only mean one thing; Doom has decided to pay me a visit.

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_Review please! :)  
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	36. Chapter XXXV

**honorstudent97: The boys turning into donkeys part is kind of creepy! xD My mom said that bit scarred her for life when she watched Pinocchio as a kid, haha. This is a random question, but would you ever be interested in reading a Pinocchio fanfic? I've had an idea for one for a while and you'll be pleased to hear that Stromboli has a pretty major part in it. :)  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Yeah, it seems like Doom finally decided to spend some time in the dorm room! Let's see what happens next in this chapter! Thanks for commenting!**

**a fan: I would be like that too after getting home from such a long day at work! No wonder you're so exhausted! I'm glad that you start at 7 next week though, that should be nice. Oh god, I think that I'd have a heart attack if I had a monster come through my closet door when I was not expecting it, you know? Let's see what happens with Doom and Randall in this chappie!**

**Mysterious: Blaming the computer always works! xD After all, they do screw up sometimes. I'm glad that your mom wasn't mad at you at least. You'll have to remind your dad so you can play University over the summer! :D Thanks for liking the last chapter! And to answer your question, I actually haven't watched anime before. How about you, do you watch it?  
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**James95: Thanks for liking the last chapter! I'm glad that you like the way I portray the Dean. I actually really liked her character even after seeing the film. What do you think of her if you don't mind my asking? It is a bit unfair how Mike gets Celia and Randy and Sulley don't get anyone in the film. I hope that this story makes you a RandallxSulley fan by the end of it! xD  
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**Remy: Aw, Ice sounds like such a sweetie! I wish I could see a picture of her! Will you give her a hug for me? :) Oh, same here. I think that cobras are interesting, but I'd probably run in the other direction if one got too close to me, lol. And yeah, Doom is inside! Time for Randy to start panicking! Thanks for reading this.  
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**Wolfy McBubblehorn: It's okay about not reviewing for a few chapters. I understand. :) The plot is definitely thickening though, I agree! Poor Fungus is afraid that Randy will make another friend and leave him because Funk hasn't had many good friends in his life. Luckily for him, Randall is a loyal sort of guy and never does that. I'm glad that you're excited for the RandallxSulley bits! It gets more intense from here on out. Thanks for reviewing!**

**jade4563: Sorry about the cliffhanger! I tend to leave them on accident actually. xD Your prediction is pretty accurate - all hell will break loose very soon! Let me know what you think of this chapter.  
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**Mickfang27: That's true about Isis probably taking on the role as my protector. That's actually nice knowing that I had someone protecting me in my dream. I love learning about ancient gods and goddesses as well! *high fives you* Mythology has always intrigued me for some reason. Yup, you were right on about Fungus, but then again, your predictions are usually spot on. Thanks so much for the sympathy regarding my living conditions and all that. I actually teared up a little knowing that someone I met online cares so much. *hugs* I'm the same as you; I could care less if my parents are dead or alive since they've screwed with my life so much. I actually don't have any friends irl, probably due to the fact that I'm a bit anti-social and shy. I think that's why I vent on here so much. Thanks again for the encouragement! It really means a lot to me!  
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**Anna Sparkles: I'm with you there! Feeling unstable is never any fun. Haha, yes, Fungus is very jealous! I like Fungus and Randy too. They make great best friends, don't you think? Oh wow, I can't believe that you haven't seen Monsters Inc. for so long! I can't go a month or longer without watching it. What's your favorite part of the movie? I hope that your trip went alright! I live in Michigan, which is kind of near Ohio. Thanks for commenting!  
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**badberry123: Lol, that is actually very true! The first time that Doom speaks in this story is when major shit is going down. xD He's definitely what you call the silent type. Jealous Fungus is very cute, I agree! He does have a little (or maybe a not so little) crush on Randall in this story, yes! I love my love triangles as you know! That's neat how you're a mix of Fungus and Randall. I'm probably more of a Randall, but I'm like MI Randall, not MU Randall because I'm very anti-social and I can come off as rude and snappy sometimes because I'm always trying to get out of social stuff. You're near-sighted? Me too! I wear contacts, but I've had an eye infection, so I'm not allowed to wear my contacts for another two weeks. That means that I have to walk around banging into stuff and squinting like Randy. xD I love it when Randall shouts at Mike as well. I'm one of the weirdos who didn't support their friendship in MU. You know, now that we're discussing it, I'm wondering if Hamm and the Abominable Snowman are voiced by the same guy. Yup, Celia is my favorite female monster! I wish that I was more like her. I know she's got that "dumb blonde" vibe to her, but I dunno, she seems so sweet and I think that she and Mike make a cute couple. *squeals* Sheri Squibbles is awesome though, I agree. I'd love to have a mom like her! Moms who listen to metal rock, hehe. Random thought, but what did you think about Sheri and Don getting together? I thought that was very out of the blue. I'm not a fan of the PNKs, but I do like Boo! Her scenes with Sulley are really cute. I can see her getting trapped in the monster world and not being able to get home so Randall and Sulley have to take care of her and raise her and stuff. I dunno, I'm weird, sorry about that. :P And yeah, I based the backdrop flipper off of the one in MI! Nice observation there. Thanks for reading this! :D  
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**Chapter XXXV  
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I'm not frightened of Doom by any means, but I don't like the crimson-eyed miscreant, especially after the way he beat up Fungus the other day. Taking a deep breath, I tell myself that I look stupid procrastinating at my own doorway and reach forward to take hold of the door handle with two webbed fingers. I tug the door open and sure enough find my roommate on his side of the room. We both look at one another, but neither of us says a word. For the first time, I find myself wondering if Doom is mute. I've never heard him talk before, not even to his crowd of thugs. Deciding to respect his personal space as long as he respects mine, I retreat to my side of the room and perch on the edge of the chair behind my desk before reaching for my science book. I flip it open and have read an entire page of it before realizing that I'm reading the wrong book. This is history, not science!

Annoyed at myself, I shove the history book across the table and grab the science book instead. As much as I'd like to pretend that Doom's presence isn't affecting me, it clearly is. I can't think straight when I feel his brilliant scarlet gaze on me. Although he doesn't frighten me, the monster sets me on edge.

I work all throughout the night with Doom's ever vigilant eye on me. It's hard to tell what the monster hovering across the room from me is thinking, but if he had a face, I think that Doom would be sending me a death glare. Only once I've finished studying science and arithmetic do I realize that I could have studied in the library instead of in my dorm room and saved myself a lot of paranoia. I lodge a note in my mind to take a trip to the library next time Doom shows up in the dorm room, which, as I come to think of it, will be more often. No doubt he's taking the headmistress' words to heart about staying inside his dorm room after the curfew hours. This news makes me feel better and worse. On the one hand, my stomach begins to knot just at the idea of spending more time around the dark monster. On the other hand, Doom listening to orders and staying inside the dorm room after hours could mean that he's innocent.

An impulsive yawn slips out of the corner of my mouth. Looking over my shoulder, I squint across the room and realize that it's close to midnight. Figuring that I should check tomorrow's class schedule before retiring to bed, I rifle through my scattered papers and notebooks before I find what I'm looking for. A quick scan of the schedule informs me that I only have one class in the afternoon tomorrow. My morning is completely free, which means that I don't have to set an alarm.

Deciding to go to bed, I cross the room, carefully set my glasses on the top of my nightstand, and slip under the scratchy sheets. This bed isn't the most comfortable, but it's still nicer than the bed I slept in back at home. Just about everything here is nice than the things I have back at home. Sighing gloomily, I find myself thinking about my mother. Thank god that we're going to be allowed to use the phones tomorrow. I remember the Dean saying that we only get five minutes on the phone, but five minutes is still five important minutes. Mother had better pick up the phone when I call her.

Despite the fact that I'm exhausted, I end up having an extremely hard time falling asleep. I assume that this has something to do with the fact that I'm not sleeping in the dorm room alone tonight. Doom is still hovering eerily on his side of the room with his crimson eye wide open. Does he even sleep? I have no idea.

Eventually, I fall asleep after several long minutes of lying on my side and staring at the wall. Apparently, Doom decided not to skin me in my sleep since I wake up the next morning without so much as a scratch anywhere on my body. As I fumble around the nightstand for my glasses, I realize that the black shadow on the opposite side of the room is gone. Doom is either at class or is somewhere else in the school. This knowledge causes my shoulders to relax. I'll have the entire dorm room to myself this morning from the looks of things.

Just when I find my glasses and am adjusting them to the perfect angle, the sound of the loudspeaker greets my ears. I immediately stiffen again. Oh great, what now? Last time, a student was murdered when a voice came onto the loudspeaker. I don't think that I even want to know what's going on now.

"Attention all students!" a voice crackles over the loudspeaker and booms into my dorm room. I shove a finger in my ear to block out some of the raucous noise as the voice continues on, "As you were informed on the first day of class, Fridays will be the day you will be allowed to make one phone call. The phone booths are located just outside of the school to your right. Professor Jones and Professor Knight will be timing the phone calls and ending them as soon as five minutes are up. Please use your time wisely."

With that said, the reverberating noises bouncing around my dorm room come to a halt. Even though my ears are ringing, I am glad to have heard the announcement. Giving my glasses one final tug to the right, I hurry toward the door to my dorm room and slip outside it and into the hallway already festering with students. Apparently, I'm not the only one excited about the phone calls. Glad that I have the elevator on my side to help me arrive at the phone booths sooner than the rest of the students, I slip around the pushing and shoving monsters and make my way to the elevator as quickly as I can. Once there, I hit the familiar red button and then travel to the main floor of the university, which is also swarming with monsters. By the time I reach the tall wooden entrance doors, a half hour has passed.

Although I didn't think that I was missing the outdoors much, I find that I actually enjoy the warmth of the sun beating down on me from the sky and the cool brush of wind along the back of my neck. The lines that lead to the phone booth are long, but they move forward at a steady pace since the phone calls are timed. Besides, I'm in no hurry. I don't have class for another few hours or so.

Finally, after much anticipation, I finally reach Professor Knight's phone booth. Despite the fact that he must have hundreds of students this year, the Professor recognizes me immediately and smiles, exclaiming, "Randy, my boy! It's good to see you. How's that arithmetic homework coming along, eh?"

"I finished it on Tuesday," I point out, not to brag, but because it's true.

"Tuesday?! You are a genius in the making, young Mr. Boggs," Professor Knight says, his voice completely serious as he goes on, "I assume that you'd like to take a turn with the phone. Better call those proud parents of yours and let them know just how well you're doing with your classes. Just keep in mind that I can only let you have five minutes on the phone though. I'd give you more, but rules are rules and the phone is on an automatic timer."

I don't bother to correct Professor Knight and tell him that I have a parent, not parents. Instead, I reach forward and grab the shiny black phone hanging just inside the phone booth. I use the tip of my tail to shut the door to the phone booth behind me for privacy's sake before plugging in the familiar numbers to my mother's house in the phone.

Beep, beep, beep! The phone rings once, two, three, and then four times. I start to worry that my mother isn't going to pick up the phone. Finally, on the fifth ring, she does.

"Hello?" a slightly confused, but familiar voice replies to me from the phone.

I sigh with relief and reply, "Hello mom. How have you been? I've been thinking a lot about you lately. University is great, but I miss you."

A long silence comes from the other side of the phone. As it stretches on and on and on, I glance over at Professor Knight who is still standing outside of the phone booth, wondering if perhaps there was a problem with the phone connection. Finally, my mother says blankly, "Who is this?"

Needles of fear stab my chest as I realize that my mother doesn't recognize my voice. I'm aware that she forgets things easily, but I didn't think that she could possibly forget the sound of my voice this easily. Gripping the phone tightly with a white-knuckled violet hand, I persist, "It's Randy, mother. You know me. Randy Boggs? Your son?"

Another long silence falls, during which I chew my lip and dread mother's answer to my inquiry. Luckily, she shatters the silence in a much more cheerful tone as she exclaims, "Randy! I was wondering when I might get a call from you. I was expecting one sooner, but I suppose that the school probably has rules about when you can use the phone and how much time you can spend on it. How have you been? Are you liking your classes? Is your dorm nice? Have you made any friends yet?"

"Slow down! I can't answer five questions at once," I chuckle, glad that my mother has finally come to her senses although beads of worry still manage to imbed themselves inside me. I decide to worry later and concentrate on my limited conversation for now as I try to answer all of my mother's questions. "I've been fine. Tired, yeah, but everyone who studies hard gets tired around here. I like my scaring classes and some of the other ones. Science, history, art, and gym are a waste of time though. I'm already getting tutored on tennis. That's how awful I am at gym. The dorm room is pretty decent. The bed is nice, I have my own nightstand and desk, and I even have my own laptop to use for the year. Guess I've made one friend. His name is Fungus and he's going to work as my scare partner. There's another monster too - his name is Sullivan. I wouldn't say we're friends though, we're more like rivals. Sullivan is the best scarer in the school so far."

My mother takes in all of the information I just told her before summarizing what I said, "It sounds like you're having a nice time at school just like I had hoped you would. Have you met any nice girls?"

Mother's question is so unrelated to the other things I've been talking about that I stare at the phone blankly for a moment before realizing what she means. Laughing dryly, I reply, "Mom, I'm here to learn, not flirt. My studies are my top priority. Even making friends is something I'm not all that concerned about. The only one concerned with girls around here is Wazowski."

"Uh oh, I hear trouble," my mother says, reading into the way I practically spit out the word Wazowski. "Who is this Wazowski fellow?"

"He's the school's troublemaker to put it lightly. I'm stuck partnering with him in history and of course it just so happens that he's also my tennis tutor," I sigh dramatically before realizing that I've already burned up half of my phone time. Not wanting to spend the rest of it complaining about one-eyed cretins, I flip the subject and say, "Anyway, enough about me. You know how I'm doing now. I'm fine and I like it here at college. What about you though? Are you doing alright on your own?"

"Don't be silly, Randy, of course I'm doing just fine," my mother replies, trying to brush away my worry. I'm not going to be so easily diverted from the subject at hand though. Mother is clearly suffering from memory problems and I want to find out just how bad they are.

"Have you remembered to pay the bills for this month? They usually come on a Wednesday," I inform my mother before asking another question that you wouldn't have to ask a normal monster. "Have you done the grocery shopping lately? There's still food in the fridge, right?"

"I can't believe that you were the one chiding me earlier about asking too many questions," mother laughs a light, tingly sound as I bombard her with pressing questions. She can laugh all she wants about them, but I just want to make sure that she's alright. I wait for my answer and finally get it as mother replies, "Yes, there's food in the fridge. I just went to check."

"Uh huh, I see," I reply, the needles of fear stabbing deeper into my chest. I would have preferred an answer that did not involve actually going over to the fridge to check whether or not there is food in it. Mother should be able to remember things like this without checking. Feeling a bit more anxious, I ask urgently, "How are you doing asides from all of that? Are you getting lonely?"

"Lonely? Not really, I suppose," mother says after a moment of hesitation. I can tell that she's going to say more and wait for the rest of her sentence. Mother goes on, "I miss your company, of course, Randy, but the little red people keep me company."

I'm starting to relax until I hear these last words. Little red people? What the hell is mother going on about? I'm so confused about what she's talking about that I forget all about my time limit on the phone and don't realize that I'm reaching five minutes as I ask, "Little red people? Who are they?"

"Oh, you know, just the little red people..." mother says as if I'm the crazy one. "They sit and talk to me and keep me company. It's all very nice really."

I bite my forked tongue and am about to tell mother that these "little red people" do not exist and are merely figments of her overactive imagination. However, before I get a chance to explain any of this, the phone clicks off. My five minute call is up.

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_Review please! :)  
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	37. Chapter XXXVI

**honorstudent97: Lol, I know, right? Pinocchio scars all little kids for life. xD Hm, okay, I don't think that you'd like my story idea that much then because it's mostly tragedy and romance like what I usually write. :P I'm not very good with changing genres, you know?  
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**marioandsonicFTW: It is good that Doom left Randall alone! Do you think that their peace will last? Thanks for reading this!  
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**Mysterious: That's cool that you're such a big anime fan! I actually would like to try watching some anime sometime. Are there any that you can recommend to me? Thanks for liking the chapter! :D  
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**James95:Thank you so much for the compliments on my writing! I agree with you that it would be rather obvious if Doom happened to be the culprit. He seems like more of a weirdo at this point. Randall definitely does need his mother more than he thinks. He doesn't seem to realize just how attached to her he really is. I feel the same way about the Dean although I understand where she was coming from to some extent. Mike isn't exactly made for the scare floor. Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**jade4563: Lol, yeah, Randall's mom is a bit of a nutcase really. :P It seems like something in her mind is a little screwed up. Like you said, it has only been a week, so she shouldn't forget her own son's name already! And yeah...Doom has some major issues. *shivers* Thanks for commenting!  
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**Mickfang27: Your prediction is right as always. :) It does seem likely that Randall will lose his mother soon, and when he does, he'll need someone like Sulley to comfort him. Thanks so much for saying that I have a friend in you! *hugs* You'd definitely make a great comparative psychologist someday! Definitely don't give up on that dream because I think that you'd be very good at it. I know what you mean about being anti-social and not having many friends. It's good and bad, I guess. Nancy is a sweetheart trying to protect Chet from the world. Of course, he will probably have to realize that Johnny just isn't into him at some point, you know? And hehe, Reggie and Javier won't become a couple for quite a while still. Javier actually ends up getting with someone else and Reggie finds a short-term girlfriend. Thanks so much for the review!  
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**Anna Sparkles: Haha, I love that part from the movie too! Randall doesn't know how to threaten Mike properly apparently. :P And wow! It sounds like your great grandma and Randall's mom have something in common since they're both seeing little people. I'm glad that you had fun yesterday, but wow, that place does sound haunted! I haven't seen The Conjuring before, but I love horror movies. Would you recommend it? Thanks for the comment!  
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**badberry123: Yay, I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! It was good that Randall got a chance to talk to his mother, but I agree that he's probably feeling a bit unnerved and weirded out right now. I'd feel the same way if my mom told me that she was seeing little red people. Doom doesn't talk for a while still actually. I think that he only gets a few lines in this story total. *hints* It does seem like Doom is a bit of a stalker though. He obviously wants something of Randall's. Randall does seem like the type who would be good at math! I suck at math, so I'm so glad that I finally graduated from high school. Hehe, yes, Fungus has a big crush on Randall! He's actually a more loyal friend to Randy than Sulley is in this! Funk sticks with Randall until the very end because I see him as the sort of guy to do that. So RandallxFunk is your OTP then? Mine used to be RandallxSulley, but after seeing Monsters University, I like JohnnyxChet and JavierxReggie the best. Contacts are actually pretty comfortable as long as you aren't wearing them when you have an eye infection. I've had them for eight years now and they're actually really fun because you can get different colored ones and stuff. I got purple this year so I could have Johnny eyes. Noooo, I'm not obsessed with him. I think. :P Anyway, I'm glad that I'm not the only one who doesn't like Mike and Randall together. It seems like everyone thinks that they made great friends in MU, but I didn't think that Mike was a very good friend to Randall and I just don't see them getting along very well together. I can see Mike "using" Randall in a sense. I'm going to write a story about that next. ^^ Oh god, that would be so weird if Don hooked up with Sheri if he was the same age as the rest of the OKs! I guess I knew that he was older before I watched the film, so I was okay with the age thing, but the proposal still seemed really out of the blue to me. Omg, I love your vision! You should write a story based off of it maybe! That would be awesome. :D What was Randall's and Sulley's kid like, btw? Thanks so much for the comment!  
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**Chapter XXXVI  
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I stare at the phone in my hand in despair. If only I had been paying more attention to the time! There are still lots more things I want to tell my mother. Unfortunately, my time is up and I notice that the next monster waiting in line outside of the phone booth tapping his foot on the lawn and giving me an impatient look. I reluctantly hang up the shiny black phone and trudge out of the phone booth, leaving the door open behind me for the next monster. As soon as I exit the booth, Professor Knight smiles at me until he notices my expression.

"Is something wrong? You look awfully grim. We can't have that on such a fine day, can we?" Professor Knight asks, trying to make me feel better. I appreciate his concern to some extent, but I can't tell him about the concern I feel toward my mother regarding her memory loss and the fact that she is now seeing little red people.

"I'm fine," I tell Professor Knight, making an effort to look like I'm telling the truth. Professor Knight doesn't look like he buys my lie, but the student inside the phone booth is asking him about long distance phone calls, which keeps him from pursuing his conversation with me. Before the Professor can turn around and start talking to me again, I quickly pad between the two long lines of students that lead back up to the school's entrance.

Only once I arrive at the entrance of the school do I remember the problem I had with the heavy wooden doors last time I tried to enter the school this way. Last time, Sullivan helped open the door since Scott and I couldn't get the damned thing open even with our strength put together. Determined not to make a fool of myself in front of all of the monsters lined up on either side of me, I tell myself that I'm gonna open the door on my first attempt. Reaching forward, I tug on the handle. Just like before, it doesn't budge. I sense monster eyes from nearby turning to look at me. Gritting my pointed teeth together, I use all of my strength and manage to get the door open just a sliver. It's not much, but it's enough. I slip through the crack feeling temporarily proud of myself.

Unfortunately, my good mood does not last. Thoughts of my mother all alone in our rundown shack on the shabby side of town are enough to make me cringe. What makes me cringe even more, however, is the idea of my mother losing her memory more and more by the day. I can't believe that she didn't recognize my voice when I first spoke to her on the phone. Well, alright, it's not that I can't believe it, I just don't want to believe it. Also, who or what are these supposed little red people she's talking about? It's more than likely that they're composed solely of her imagination.

I plod back to my dorm room and stay there for the rest of the morning. Although I try to study my history and science facts, my mind is elsewhere. I keep worrying about my mother no matter what I do. Even my afternoon classes don't take my mind off of the situation. Anxiety wraps a tight hand around my chest, making it impossible for my mind to function properly and my heart to beat steadily. By the end of the day, I'm a nervous wreck. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do for my mother. I can't call her again until next week, and without money or the spare time, I can't take a bus to go visit her.

Friday night comes and goes in a flash. When Saturday shines its morning light on the gigantic university, I hide under the scratchy sheets on my bed. I slept fitfully last night, no thanks to a certain one-eyed Doom who decided to keep me company five minutes before curfew. Today, my head throbs with a painful headache and my eyelids feel like they have weights attached to them. I know that I should get out of bed, stop being lazy, and start studying. That's what weekends are for, right? Studying, studying, and more studying.

I eventually drag myself out of the warmth of the bed, stumble across the room, and plop down at my desk. My reflection stares back at me from the shiny screen of my laptop sitting at the far end of my desk. I look horrible to put it bluntly. The reddish-purple veins are protruding around my eyes, my fronds hang limply on top of my head, and my scales look dull. Stress has already taken its toll on me and it's only the first week of school. Of course, I probably wouldn't be so stressed out if it weren't for Charlie's murder and my mother's memory loss. School in itself is stressful, but these added factors make it almost unbearable.

The morning passes by in just a few hours since it took me so long to drag myself out of bed. I plan to spend my afternoon the exact same way I spent my morning - studying. I'm lightning fast at arithmetic at this point, I have all of my science terms defined to the point of perfection, and I can practically recite chapter one of my history book aloud.

To my annoyance, my afternoon plans are interrupted by my neighbors. No, they don't knock on my door and actually interrupt me, but they make noise. Lots and lots of noise. There must be some sort of party going on in the dorm room next to mine. Loud, raucous music travels through the wall and makes my head spin. Laughter, constant chatter, and even gleeful shrieks keep me jerking my head up from the textbooks spread out before me on my desk to glare at the wall to my right. Exasperated, I'm about ready to get up, exit my room, pound on the door next to mine, and ask the neighbors to keep it down. There's no need to disturb everyone on the fifth floor. You can have a party without deafening everyone.

However, my typically quiet nature gets the best of me and I end up with my head in my hands, very frustrated. Since I'm tired, I rest my eyes for a few minutes, planning on resuming studying as soon as the party ends. It really should end by evening, right? Wrong. The hours pass and the party does not end. In fact, it gets louder. My headache has increased to the point where I can't study even if I want to. Ear-splitting, head-banging music continues to roar from the dorm next to mine. I groan when the loud smacks of feet running up and down the hallway sound just outside of my doorway. Enough is enough. I'm never gonna be able to study at this point tonight and I'm dying for a reprieve from all this chaotic carousing.

Head pulsing painfully and unable to think, I allow my feet to carry me across the room to the door. I step out into the hallway only to find that the party has moved outside of the dorm room. Monsters are dancing in the halls, a music player blares loud music into the air, and someone has covered Wazowski with glitter and has attached him to the ceiling, causing him to morbidly resemble a disco ball. A group of monsters turn the corner and run down the hallway, laughing drunkenly. Their eyes are bright and one of the monsters has a lamp shade on his head.

Not wanting any part in this "celebrating", I head directly for the elevator. Even on the opposite side of the fifth floor, I can still hear the sounds of that awful rock music ringing in my ears. It's not that I have anything against rock music. In fact, I like it when I'm not studying or when I don't have a headache. However, a constant rock 'n roll party outside your bedroom door is enough to drive anyone crazy after a little while. I've pitched off of the edge of crazy and am now dealing with a painful migraine.

I take the elevator down to the main floor of the school. A few monsters travel here and there, either on their way to the cafeteria or the gym or coming back from one of those two places. I can't hear the resonant blares of the partiers here, but I feel like I need some fresh air to help clear my head. Glancing up toward the clock, I realize that it's only nine pm. I still have an hour before curfew, the perfect amount of time to take a short walk around the school grounds.

Knowing that I need to keep moving to make it back before curfew, I hurry to the heavy school doors, pry them open, and stumble out into the murky August night. Relief hits me smack in the face as cold gusts of wind wrap around me in tendril-like funnels. I tilt my head upward and feel the beads of sweat leave my forehead. Everything is very still and peaceful outside, the direct opposite of the situation on the fifth floor. I'd stay out here all night if I could.

Already starting to feel my headache subside, I mindlessly place one foot in front of the other as I start a slow, amiable walk around the verdant university lawn. As the sky darkens, stars peak out from behind the clouds and decide to shine their light down upon me.

I've been walking along happily enough, enjoying the serenity of the great outdoors when my solitude is shattered. Rapid footsteps sound from somewhere behind me. I glance inconspicuously over my shoulder, but the night sky is too dark to allow me to see anything at this point. Despite myself, I can't help but feel a little nervous. What unknown dangers are lurking outside of the school at this hour? What if Charlie's assailant has taken his killing field outside?

I guess it's stupid for me to feel nervous. After all, I'm training to be the school's top scarer. Still, it's clear that the soft footsteps are coming closer and closer to me. Someone is clearly following me, and considering the fact that I didn't tell any of my friends that I was going for a walk, the someone is probably unfriendly. My heart starts to beat a little bit faster and my feet start to move a little bit quicker. To my alarm, the footsteps behind me speed up as well, adjusting to my new pace.

I take a deep breath and decide that now is the time to form a plan. I've established the fact that someone is following me, but I haven't figured out what I'm gonna do about it. Running isn't an option. I'm not a coward and I know that my stalker will catch up to me before I know it. I'm going to have to fight. There's no way around it. I'll wait until my assailant is about to descend on me, turn, and pummel them in the face. If all goes according to my plan, I'll knock them down to the ground and proceed from there. Dark plan now formed, I feel a bit calmer. My feet slow and I strain my ears for the sound of footsteps approaching in the grass directly behind me.

Thump, thump, thump. There they are getting louder by the second. The stalker is almost upon me now. As weird as it sounds, I swear that I can feel the pattern of the wind shift to make room for the assailant behind me. Just as a dark shadow falls over my head, I whirl around, raise my fist, and hurl my clenched hand upward. Pain explodes in my wrist as my fist makes contact with the side of someone's face. Despite the fact that the flesh I've encountered is covered with sleek fur, the area under it is bone.

"Damn, damn, damn..." I curse as I wring my hand in the air in an attempt to stop the excruciating throbbing.

Through the blur of pain, I suddenly realize that despite my pulsating wrist, I managed to achieve exactly what I wanted to achieve. Whoever was descending upon me is now lying flat on the ground. I should turn and go back to the school, but a sudden thought makes me hesitate. The pain in my wrist is starting to dull and the fog in my mind is starting to clear. When my fist met its target, I felt fur. There's only one monster I can think of who is covered in sleek, glossy fur.

Dropping to my knees besides the motionless figure, I squint in the moonlight and cautiously reach out towards the lump lying on the ground. I poke at it carefully with a webbed fingertip. A grunt meets my ears. Just then, the cloud concealing the moon moves to the right, allowing me to see that the figure lying face down in the dirt has turquoise blue fur flecked with violet spots. It's Sullivan!

"Sullivan?!" I exclaim, half in surprise, half in indignation. "What the hell are you doing out here? My god, I thought you were some sort of assassin!"

"Mikey's been holding a party in our room all day long. It was fun at first, but it started to get a little rowdy in there after Mike invited all the girls in. I thought that taking a walk would be a good way to clear my head. When I saw you walking all alone, I thought that I'd join you," Sullivan says in a muffled voice, still face down. "I guess that wasn't such a good idea."

"Clearly not," I reply dryly, still feeling a little suspicious as I add, "So you just happened to feel like taking a walk only thirty minutes before curfew?"

"Yeah. Why?" Sullivan asks, clearly not sensing my suspicion.

I think for a moment before dismissing the accusatory thoughts from my head. It isn't hard to understand how someone might get sick of partying after their room being filled with constant music, dancing, and drunk girls all day long. Guess I'm being a little too hard on Sullivan. ...I guess that maybe I shouldn't have smacked him either.

"No reason, but you shouldn't have snuck up on me like that," I chide the shaggy beast with a frown.

"I wasn't sneaking up on you. The grass probably just muffled my footsteps," Sullivan points out reasonably.

Realizing that Sullivan is right and that my paranoia has gotten the better of me once gain, I sigh and reach out to the blue monster with one hand, saying, "Okay, okay, I guess you're right. Look, I'm gonna help you turn back over, alright?"

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_Review please! :)  
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	38. Chapter XXXVII

**honorstudent97: It's totally okay - I understand exactly what you mean. I'm a big Pinocchio fan, I guess. I've loved that movie for ages. Okay, so I'm weird, but I'm the opposite of you. I think that Randall is attractive, but not so much Sulley. :P MLP isn't really my thing, but we've all got our favorites. :)  
**

**a fan: Yeah, I got Mike and the disco ball thing from the trailer. xD That's a good thought about Doom. He's not mute exactly, but he's definitely what you'd call the dark, sinister type. He only talks when he absolutely has to. I would've walked away from the party as well. I'm not a fan of a lot of loud noise and all that. I don't blame Randall for punching Sulley either! Thanks for reading!**

**Remy: Hi again! It's okay about not reviewing, I completely understand. I hope that you had a nice time with your relatives though! Aw, I hope that this story doesn't make you cry, but I'm glad that you're feeling emotional over it. Randall's mother is spiraling into the depths of schizophrenia by the looks of things and a certain someone might follow in her path later in life. I'm glad that you're excited for the SulleyxRandall progression! Those two are certainly becoming better friends, that's for sure. Doom is pretty creepy, I agree. He hasn't done anything too bad yet, but he's just got this creepy vibe to him, doesn't he? Also, no need to apologize because I love long reviews! Thank you so much for catching up on this!  
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**Mysterious: Thanks so much for all of the recommendations! I'm definitely going to have to try watching some anime and let you know what I think of it. I like depressing anime, I think. Is there like a romance genre of anime as well? I'm kind of a sucker for romance. Maybe you could also let me know what the popular genres of anime are? Sorry for all of the questions. I'm sort of a novice when it comes to anime. Thanks so much for liking the chapter! :D  
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**James95: I'm glad that you thought that the chapter was funny! I don't know why, but I can see Randall punching Sulley clearly in my mind for some reason. I was disappointed that the disco ball scene wasn't actually in the movie. That would've been fun to see! Same thoughts here on Randall. He's going to overwork himself pretty soon, isn't he? =/ Thanks so much for reading this!  
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**jade4563: I know, right? I love the disco ball scene! I love Javier's expression during it. He gets like this wicked smile on his face, but anyway, I love the ROR guys too much. *coughs* It definitely was quite the punch. Mike makes Randall drink some crazy punch later in this story. :P Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: Yep, more bonding time for Sulley and Randall! That's always good, right? :) Thanks for mentioning that to me about the Friday mess up thing. I'll have to fix that when I get a chance. Sometimes I write too fast and the dates get all screwy in my head. I understand paranoia! I'm very jumpy and I jump at every little sound. Thank you so much for saying that you think that I could become an author someday! That would be a dream come true for me. *hugs* I don't mind personal questions at all. You can ask me anything. I just turned eighteen. Same thoughts here on Chet; he really does need to find a new love interest! His addiction to Johnny is almost unhealthy, don't you think? Thanks so much for the comment!  
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**Anna Sparkles: Aw, thanks so much for saying that I'm a great author! That means so much to me! *hugs you* I bet that punch did hurt! Sneaking up on Randall is never a good idea. I'll definitely try to see if I can watch The Conjuring sometime. It sounds really good for a horror movie. Are you a fan of horror? I'm glad that you had fun although that sounds a little scary about the no seatbelts thing! Was it scary at all or am I just a wimp? :P Thanks so much for reading this!**

**badberry123: Oh my god, I felt that exact same way about the disco ball scene! I really wanted to see it in the movie! It's really a shame that the writers didn't try and somehow fit it into the movie. Honestly, I felt like the movie lacked a partying theme. I would've liked some more party/celebrations scenes, you know? Doom is quiet, but then again, he may not have long to live in this story too. *hints* Hehe, it is funny imagining Sulley talking to Randall facedown in the dirt. That would be adorable with Randall and Sulley crashing into each other and looking into one another's eyes. I did that in another one of my stories with Reggie and Javier (ROR freak over here!). Hm, Year 10? Do you live in England by any chance? I'm not really sure how the school system works there. I'm glad that we agree about Fungus and Randall! I like pairings where one member is really devoted and dedicated and the other one is extremely dominant (probably a reason why I love JohnnyxChet so much). Haha, that's kind of what happens in this story! Sulley does break up with Randall and at this point and you can just tell what Funk is thinking about it. Yup, I love ROR pairings...I'm a nut. xD Thanks! The different colored contacts are pretty neat. :) I actually don't see purple at all. The colors don't affect your vision. Speaking of Johnny, this is kind of random, but my Johnny plush got stuck in one of my blankets and I was putting it into the washer when Johnny randomly introduced himself to me and I just about had a heart attack because I had no clue that he was stuck in the blanket and I thought that I was alone in the house. :P Same thoughts here on the opposites attract thing. It works for Randall and Sulley, but not for Mike and Randall. I do see Mike using Randall. I mean, he certainly used him a lot in quizzing him, but he never gave anything back to Randall. It doesn't seem too far-fetched that Mike might have used Randall for other things too if you know what I mean. Exactly about Don and Sheri! Lol, this is kind of random, but you know that scene where Chet is all, "Johnny, you're my hero!" at the end of the movie? I kept thinking that he was going to be all, "Johnny, I love you!" xD But anyway, I love the idea of twins in your story! I like incorporating kids into my stories although there won't be any in this story. I hope that you type yours up though! Thank you so much for reviewing! :)  
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**Chapter XXXVII  
**

I feel conflicted as I reach down and place both webbed hands on the turquoise monster's furry shoulder. Gritting my teeth together, I gather up all of my strength and use it to roll the shaggy beast from his stomach onto his back. I rarely apologize for things and I'm not gonna apologize to Sullivan now since it was his own fault for getting pummeled in the face. He shouldn't have been stalking me - okay, well, he wasn't stalking me, but that's not the point - without calling out a greeting to me in advance. What kind of monster creeps up behind another monster and scares him half to death?

_ The monster who stalks the other is what you call a good scarer, Randy. That's exactly what Sullivan is_, an unwelcome voice sounds in the back of my head. _ The second monster, the one who gets scared to death, is what you call extremely paranoid._

I sigh grimly to myself as I realize that the voice in the back of my head is right. Sullivan didn't mean to creep up on me and the only reason I smacked him is because I'm paranoid. I feel just the smallest twinge of guilt. I hope that Sullivan isn't hurt too badly. The stinging pain in my wrist has died down to a distant throbbing, so I don't think that it's broken. I must have hit Sullivan pretty hard to make the massive hairy monster fall over though. Then again, he probably wasn't expecting to be attacked either, so maybe my pummel wasn't as hard as I thought it was after all and he fell over from shock instead.

After having managed to roll Sullivan onto his back, I point out, "I would've expected a tough guy like you to be a little more steady on your feet, Sullivan."

"Yeah, me too," Sullivan replies ruefully, looking up at me from where he's now lying on his back in the middle of the lush green lawn with me bending over him, my wry expression mirroring his. A half-smile quirks Sullivan's lips and the stars are reflected in his gleaming azure gaze as he says, "Then again, you are a pretty tough fighter yourself, Randall. You caught me completely off guard. I had no idea that you knew I was coming to walk next to you. You may not have brute strength, but you have speed and agility on your side. You'll make a great scarer someday."

"Eh, we'll see. You're still the better of the two of us for now," I point out, immediately feeling that jealous streak sizzling through me before I realize that there's nothing for me to be jealous of right now. My wrist might ache for the rest of the night, but Sullivan is gonna be the one who ends up with a huge egg-shaped lump on his head from where my first collided with his skull. Remembering Dean Hardscrabble's "fighting results in expulsion" rule, I suddenly panic. Trying to keep cool despite the fact that my next question is an important one, I tilt my head to the side at Sullivan and ask, "So are you gonna try and expel me for picking a fight with you or not?"

"Huh? Why would I do that?" Sullivan replies, looking completely confused at my question. Something inside of me reminds me that I'm being paranoid again and that's why I felt the urge to ask that question. Sullivan goes on, "I was the one who scared you. It was my fault, not yours."

"Hey, hold up. I wasn't scared," I point on in a hard voice, sending the monster lying before me a steely look before I realize that I should just be grateful that he's not about to turn me in to the Dean. Quickly changing the subject, I ask, "Are you gonna be able to get up on your own or do you want my help? Oh, and um, thanks for not reporting me to the Dean."

"Randall, you have to realize that not everyone here wants to get rid of you. Alright, so maybe Mike does, but that's just Mike for you. The little slime ball can be really stubborn sometimes," Sullivan says and I realize that he's calling Mike a slime ball as an affectionate term at this point. Great. Going on, Sullivan says, "Nobody else hates you here. I certainly don't want you to leave. Who would I have to help challenge me on the scare floor if you weren't around?" Sullivan lets the question hang in the air while he attempts to prop himself up onto his elbow and winces slightly before nodding, "Yeah, I can get to my feet. I'll probably just be a little achy in the morning. Falling over isn't something I do very often."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't say that anyone ever intentionally tries to fall over," I point out, rolling my eyes as I lean back from where I'm still kneeling on the soft grass

Grunting slightly, Sullivan pushes himself up into a sitting position and then gets to his feet without too much trouble. His tall, dark shadow immediately falls over me, hiding me away from the moonlight. I glance up in surprise at the sudden darkness and find Sullivan leaning over me, offering me a hand as he says, "Here, I'll help you up."

I hesitate momentarily, wondering if accepting his hand is a sign of weakness. I decide not since it was Sullivan lying face down in the dirt moments earlier, not me. Taking the extended hand covered with sleek turquoise fur and ending in sharp, curved ebony claws, I allow Sullivan to help me up, pointing out, "You fall down and then you're the one to help me. We don't make a lot of sense, you know?"

My words hold a double meaning. I think that the double meaning would have slipped right on by someone like Fungus or Wazowski, but from the solemn expression on Sullivan's face, I think that he understands what I mean. It is true about us not making a lot of sense. I still haven't figured out how I'm supposed to feel toward Sullivan. He's my rival and you'd think that I should hate him for that, but I don't. There's a certain intrigue about my opponent that keeps my curiosity piqued. Sullivan and I are opposites, something that should make us the least likely set of friends. Hm, the term "friends" sounds too friendly. How about we change that to acquaintances? Yeah, that sounds better.

I wait impatiently for Sullivan to speak next, my emerald eyes boring into his light blue ones, which have taken on a sort of violet tone in the starlight. Finally, Sullivan answers my question and all the questions held within that question as he points out a-matter-of-factly, "I don't care."

Slightly surprised by Sullivan's answer, all I can do is nod slightly. An almost awkward moment falls because the two of us, one that I'm convinced needs to end as soon as possible. Clearing my throat, I say, "Do you want to keep walking then or what? I'd say that we still have a good ten minutes left before curfew. I, uh, didn't hit you too hard, did you?"

"Nope, don't worry about that. I'm a tough guy just like you said. You just kind of caught me off guard earlier, that's all," Sullivan says before setting off at a steady pace toward a large cluster of green-leafed trees about fifty meters ahead of us, adding, "I'd say that we probably have time to walk to those trees and then back to the school."

"Whatever you say. I'll trust your judgement of time over mine any old day," I say since I'm the type to forget to set my alarm clock and accidentally go to class late unless I pay careful attention to the bright neon digits on the clock.

Sullivan notices me cradling my wrist as we set off on our moonlight stroll and asks in concern, "Hey, are you alright? Did you hurt your wrist?"

"Nah, it's fine," I reply immediately, quickly dripping my wrist and flinching as I do so. Realizing that my body language just betrayed my words, I carefully rephrase my sentence add, "I'm a tough guy too, remember? You said so yourself."

"Yeah, but even tough guys get hurt sometimes, especially when stupid blue louts creep up on them," Sullivan says, smiling slightly and causing me to blush for some reason. Grateful for the darkness of the night, I turn my gaze to the ground. Sensing my discomfort, Sullivan changes the subject and asks, "So how are your classes going?"

"Decently, I guess. I'm set for arithmetic on Monday. My art skills are nonexistent though, my science experiments turn out to be disasters most of the time, history is a bore, and gym is hell," I reply accurately before realizing that it sounds like I'm complaining. Not wanting to sound like an all out pessimist, I add, "I like my scaring classes though. Kind of wish I was taking computers with Funk. That would be a lot more interesting and worthwhile than say gym for instance."

"I'm taking computers," Sullivan points out. "They're a lot of fun. I'd say that computer class is my second favorite behind my scaring classes. We haven't learned how to design our own programs or hack into other computers yet, but it's still fun. Maybe you can talk to the Dean and see if she'll swap out one of your current classes for computer class?"

"Eh, I dunno. I don't want to bother the Dean. She's the one who's gonna help me become the school's top scarer. Asking special favors from her would be a stupid thing to do," I say as Sullivan and I reach the patch of trees and turn around to set back toward the school. Even though Sullivan's suggestion is tempting, especially since getting rid of gym class and adding computer class to my schedule sounds particularly good, I'm gonna have to resist the idea. Keeping the headmistress on my good side is my top priority right now. Before another silence call fall between Sullivan and myself, I reciprocate the question and ask, "What about you?"

"My classes are good. I've got most of the same classes you have except for computer and music, which, before you ask, are admittedly more fun than history and science," Sullivan says genially before adding, "I'm not the most talented with numbers though, so arithmetic is hard for me. It's the same thing with science."

I don't know why, but for some reason, I've already opened my mouth and find myself saying, "You don't need to worry about that. Arithmetic and science aren't used in the scaring industry. Unless you wanna become a mathematics professor someday or a mad scientist, you don't have to worry about it."

Sullivan doesn't respond to me right away, so I look up to see what he's thinking. The expression on his face clearly shows that he's surprised that I have a more compassionate side to me. Guess he thought I was hard inside and out.

"What?" I ask him, feeling slightly uncomfortable under his electric blue stare as I admit a bit jokingly, "I'm not cold inside and out, you know."

"Nobody is. You're a really nice guy when you feel like being nice, you know that, Randall?" Sullivan asks with a genuine smile. I shrug and sort of brush off the comment, not exactly wanting to be known throughout the school as "Mr. Nice Guy". I want to be known as the school's best scarer, the title we all want to earn. Sullivan's smile dissolves after a few minutes and he points out, "I've, um, noticed that you've been looking kind of tired lately. Is everything going alright for you outside of your school life?"

I'm caught off guard by such a personal question. I still haven't shared the news about my mother with anyone yet. I must be feeling drunk despite the fact that I never placed a foot into the partying room because I find myself admitting, "If you really want to know, which I doubt you do, I'm worried about my mother."

"I wouldn't have asked you about what's troubling you if I didn't care," Sullivan says somberly. "What's going on with your mother?"

"It's hard to explain, but sometimes she...forgets things. Like she forgets to pay the bills, buy groceries, clean the house, and other basic things that the rest of us get without a second thought," I start out before admitting the worst part of the whole mess, adding, "And now she says she's seeing 'little red people'. They've supposedly been keeping her company while I've been gone. I don't know what to do to help her, Sullivan. I feel so useful when I'm stuck here at school because all I get with her is the timed five minute phone call on Friday. I feel like I should be back at home helping her half of the time, but going to university was something that she encouraged me to do." I pause for a moment before realizing that I'm rambling. I come to a halt and give Sullivan an apologetic look as we approach the towering building of the school, adding, "Sorry, I didn't mean to tell you all of that."

"Don't be sorry. Sometimes it helps to talk things over with someone," Sullivan says as we cross from the lawn onto the smooth cobblestones. He thinks for a moment before saying, "I'm honestly not sure what to do about the situation with your mother. Your heart is in the right place though, that's for sure. I trust your judgement on these things."

I sigh, wishing that the answer to my pressing questions was more black and white and less gray. I think for a moment and wonder if I'm reading into things too much as I wonder if Sullivan's last statement had a double meaning to it as well. Do "these things" refer to topics other than my mother? If so, what exactly does Sullivan trust my judgment on? Us?

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_Review please! :)  
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	39. Chapter XXXVIII

**honorstudent97: I like guys like that too sometimes. *coughJohnnycough* I would totally follow him around the school if I was a student at MU. But anyway, I'm with you on the comic books! I never quite got them either. :P  
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**dreyparara: Wow, thank you so much for saying that I have talent! :D I never really think of myself as a talented writer, so hearing that makes me smile a lot! I'm glad that you like my writing style and that you've come to care for the characters. Can I ask who your favorite is? Wow, I can't believe that you wait up all day waiting for the new updates! That means a lot to me! I hope that you keep reading this!**

**a fan: I agree with you there; who wouldn't want a friend like Sulley? *looks around* I need a friend like Sulley! But anyway, Randall's mom does need someone to look after her. Randall is doing the best that he can in his situation, but she needs someone with her twenty-four seven, don't you think? Thanks for commenting!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Aw, why thank you! You're such a good friend! I really hope that you like this next chapter too!**

**Remy: I'm glad that you like the mood that the stroll set! :) I feel really sorry for Randy and his mother as well. It's kind of funny though because my mother and I do not get along and could probably care less about one another. Maybe Randy's mom is like the mother that I always wanted? Anyway, getting emotional over a story makes it that much better, right? I actually like stories that make me cry as weird as that sounds! Glad you like the daily updates! I have no life, so that's how I manage it. xD  
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**JinxConlon: Wow, you can feel the romance coming off of the screen? That's really awesome because that was the exact feeling that I was trying to portray in the last chapter. Hehe, I'm always on Tumblr, so I'm used to people saying that they'll "follow me", so it doesn't sound creepy at all! Thanks for the follow and for the kind words!**

**Mysterious: I don't know anything about shojo, but I'll definitely have to check it out! Thanks for recommending the website to me. I'll have to try watching some anime on there! Free websites are always nice, hehe. So what animes are your favorites then? I take it that Black Butler is pretty good? I have heard of the Nostalgia Critic, but I never watch him. I can't believe that he called Randall bland though, I mean, Randall is the opposite of bland! Thanks for your comment on the chapter!  
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**James95: There was definitely a double meaning at the end of the last chapter, hehe. You know, I'm totally with you on Fungus there. He seems like the type who would want a deeper, more meaningful relationship. I'm glad that you're counting down for the romance to begin! Let me know what you think of this chappie!  
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**jade4563: Gosh, you think that I'm an awesome author? Thank you so much! You're making me blush now, hehe. And yes! You're definitely sensing more than friendship starting to brew in the air. ;) Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: I'm so glad that you have three stories that you really enjoy reading! It's nice to have ongoing stories like that to read, I think. Glad you liked the bit about Randall blushing around Sulley. I'm forever blushing around people I like. It's super embarrassing actually. I can see how you'd be like Randall in this story. *nods* I'm similar that way because I'm anti-social, allow people to pick on me, and get defensive of my friends as well. I'm with you on the mother thing though; I don't care about mine either. I can understand why you're not going to tell your parents about being gay until after college. I've been bi my whole life and my parents don't know about it yet. I honestly never plan on telling them about it. And hey, you can ask me whatever you want - I don't mind at all. I'm from Michigan (the most boring state in the US in my opinion) and I did graduate from high school this year although I can't say that I did overly well with it. I've missed a lot of school over the last few years due to health problems and things like that. I don't have a skype unfortunately or else I would add you! Thanks for reviewing!  
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**Anna Sparkles: *gives you another hug just for being awesome* Haha, I know what you're saying about going to the movies! Do you have a favorite movie genre? I prefer romance and animated films, but that's just me. Oh good, I'm glad to hear that you don't think that I'm a wimp. I wouldn't have stepped out into the graveyard either. That sounds scary! *shivers* And aw, your sister sounds so cute! I'm an only child, so I don't really know what it's like to have a little sis. Thanks for reading!  
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**AngeliqueRox: Sorry for scaring you with the little red people bit! Unfortunately, some people (or monsters in this case) do suffer from hallucinations and Randall's mother just so happens to be one of those monsters. :( I preferred Randall in MI than in MU as well. I liked his personality better in that film. Do you have a favorite moment/scene from it? Hm, I assume that Randall got kicked off of the team after he failed the RORs in the final scare games event. I don't think that they actually did anything to him though. What's your theory about that? No problem about the quick updates! I have no life, so writing is my thing. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! :D**

**XxSgt KululuxX: Hehe, are you gonna take some pictures of Randall and Sulley? If you are, then you'd better send some of them to me! Randall does need a big hug regarding the situation with his mother. Maybe Sulley will give him one? *winks* Doom scares me too! I created him intentionally to be a freaky looking antagonist. There will be conflict with Fungus later, yup! Wow, Funk on the dark side...that sounds funny. I'm so glad that you liked the chapter! I love your reviews!**

**badberry123: Yay, I'm so glad that you liked the chapter! It is really hard to admit personal stuff sometimes, but like what Randall did, I usually end up sharing it because I feel better if I tell someone about it than if I keep it all to myself. I would definitely say that Sulley was hinting at other things, yes! Sometimes I think that you must be a mind reader because there is a scene where Fungus and Sulley get into a disagreement about Randall around our little lizard friend! That's not for a while yet, but it is in this story. :) Oh god, I love the music during the ROR party! I totally need to get that on my mp3 player because that would be amazing. Is it just me or did that party look like it would've been a lot of fun to join? Well, I wouldn't say that Doom is misunderstood. He is still an antagonist. However, one wrong move on his part could send a different antagonist in his direction. Sorry if this is totally confusing, I'm horrible at giving hints. xD Haha, but wouldn't Sulley sort of crush Randall is he was on top? I always imagine Randall on top for some reason, I'm not sure why. Yup, Reg and Jav sort of have a moment there in Born to Please. Actually, they have several "moments" together. :P Wow, the school system in England sounds super complicated to me, but I suppose that you're used to it since you grew up there. And you're only 14? For some reason, I thought that you were quite a bit older than that, but my judgement on ages really sucks sometimes. Oh god, I don't think that I could stand uniforms. *shivers* Your picture of Randy, Sulley, and Funk sounds amazing! I'd love to take a peek at it. Feel free to let me know when you posted it on my dA home page if you want so I don't forget to look at it (I have a horrible memory). I would do fan art, but my ability to do art is like...Boo's ability to draw Randall. Yeah, that's how good I am at art. :P In my story, it's Sulley who breaks up with Randall, so yup, Funk is pretty pissed off at Sulley, but he is glad to have Randall to himself. Of course, they can't do anything at first because Randall is injured from a certain incident at that point in the story. Lol, yeah, it was creepy to have Johnny talk to me from the blanket! It is good that he wasn't all soggy and wet from going through the wash though or else my little Chet plush would've been heartbroken. :P "Johnny, Johnny, why aren't you speaking to me?" xD My mom is used to me spazzing out, so she actually wasn't too concerned about me. xD Yay, so you can see the reasoning behind ChetxJohnny even if you don't ship it yourself? I think that they do have several moments together in the film. I mean, whenever Johnny is just hanging out with one of the ROR guys, it's always with Chet and it's obvious that Chet is eager to please him. Then there's also the fact that unlike Sulley, Johnny didn't take any interest in any of the girls in the film or try to flirt with any of them. I love how Chet got so emotional over the hero moment. It looked like he was going to cry there. I really want to see what happened to the RORs after they lost to the OKs. I can imagine Chet having to comfort Johnny, but anyway, I'm blabbing now. I'm totally with you on coming up with kids for couples that we like! You could try and draw Sulley's and Randall's kids maybe? I came up with kids for Chet and Johnny and gave Javier a cute little bug daughter that he has with an OC in my other story. Thanks so much for liking the chapter and sorry for this huge message!  
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**Chapter XXXVIII  
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Sullivan and I step quietly side by side up to the large doors that lead to the white and blue painted school, which looks like an overall shade of gray in the dark of the night. Talking with Sullivan has made me feel better and worse. On the one hand, he's a friendly guy and I really seem to be warming up to him. I can talk to him about things that I can't even talk to Funk about and, well, he seems to understand them. On the other hand, Sullivan makes me feel confused. He's supposed to be my rival and I'm supposed to hate him. Guess everything I'm "supposed" to do just isn't falling into place here at Monsters University. I try to divert my mind and realize that it must be almost curfew. I speed up my pace, trip on a stray pebble lying directly in front of me, and accidentally topple into Sullivan, who is already at the doors to the school because of his longer stride.

"Hey, steady there. You alright?" Sullivan asks as I accidentally lean against his side to save myself from falling. Face flushing an ugly shade of reddish-purple, I quickly nod and straighten up, stumbling backward and almost falling again in my haste. Sullivan doesn't seem to notice this, or if he does, he decides not to comment on it, something I'm extremely grateful for. Before opening the doors to the school, Sullivan turns to face me and says, "I'm glad that I caught up to you tonight. It was even worth getting smacked in the face."

I smirk before realizing something for the first time. It's a little too ironic how Sullivan just happened to come upon me while I was walking in the dead of the night. It's even more ironic how he left the party raging on in his dorm room for the exact same reason as me. I'm starting to think that it's a little too ironic.

"You didn't come out here tonight because you got sick of the party, did you? You followed me," I point out, my voice not quite accusatory and not quite friendly either. Sullivan intentionally averts his eyes from mine and shrugs his shoulders. Before he can make up some explanation behind why he followed me, I quickly add, "I don't mind that you did. Sometimes company is nice depending on who's company you're in. For example, things would have been much different if it had been Wazowski who found me out here tonight. We'd probably still be taking blows at each other."

"Mike will come around," Sullivan says confidently. He pushes the heavy doors to the school open, saving me the embarrassment of trying to open them as he adds, "It's two minutes until curfew. I guess that we'd better split. I'll see you around, Randall." The shaggy blue monster hesitates for a moment before adding, "Do you want me to walk you to your dorm room?"

The offer makes me laugh and I end up shaking my head, a smirk lingering on my lips as I reply, "I ain't some lady you need to escort to her room, Sullivan. Goodnight."

Still smiling, I turn and slink through the dark hallways until I reach the elevator. I travel up to the fifth floor and find no sign of Doom in my dorm room. I can't decide if this is a good thing or not. He might be off causing trouble somewhere, but at least I'll be able to sleep soundly without his presence casting an ominous shadow over the bedroom. By now, the partying on the fifth floor has died down and only the mess of it remains in the hallway. Glitter is stuck to the floor and the walls, probably courtesy of Wazowski, trash is scattered this way and that, and I even find a few beer bottles clustered together at the far end of the hall. I don't know whose bottles those are, but I'm glad that they're not mine.

Tired despite the fact that I did next to nothing except for studying all day, I fall into my bed almost immediately and remember that I need to set my alarm for class tomorrow just as I start to close my eyes. Forcing them back open, I set my alarm for the proper time and roll back over so I'm lying on my stomach. As I start to drift off to sleep, I find myself wondering for the first time what it would be like to room with someone other than Doom. Although I'm not particularly social, I don't mind the presence of one other monster in my dorm. I wonder what it would be like to room with Sullivan. Wazowski's a lucky eyeball to have Sullivan as a roommate.

The next morning, I wake up to the blaring of my alarm clock right in my ear. Not wanting to start off the day with a headache, I slam my finger down on the "off" button and roll out of bed. As usual, the cold morning air causes me to shiver as I scuttle across the room with my arms wrapped around myself. I find my arithmetic book on my desk and tuck it under my arm before starting toward the door. As soon as I step out into the hallway, I realize that something is wrong. It's far too quiet out in the hallway. It's as if everyone died in their sleep. Not a single sound breaks the eerie silence of the early morning.

I come to a halt and stand stupidly in the doorway before I realize the obvious problem. We don't have class today because it's Sunday, not Monday. I'm tempted to bang myself over the head with my arithmetic book, but resist since that will only give me a headache. Still feeling stupid, I retrace my steps and go back to bed for a few more hours. Luckily, Sunday is not a day for partying. The rooms neighboring mine remain nice and quiet, allowing me to work on my homework without interruption. I'm partially tempted to seek out Funk, but I have no idea where he is. Figuring that I'll see my three-eyed assistant tomorrow, I go to bed early and wait for Monday.

Monday morning is a repeat of Sunday morning except for the fact that I actually manage to get out of the door and down the hall. I'm not particularly looking forward to arithmetic, but I'm not exactly dreading it. Although it is a relatively boring class, I don't find it very difficult. My memory is decent and I manage to find the arithmetic classroom without too much trouble.

"Randy, my boy, it's good to see you!" Professor Knight booms, causing my cheeks to flush as I enter the door to the arithmetic classroom. Like always, the orange-scaled Professor is wearing a pressed white collared shirt with a tie tucked into it. He smiles broadly at me and asks, "How's the mathematics whiz doing this morning?"

I try not to show the fact that I really want to disappear right now and instead mumble a quiet answer to Professor Knight before scurrying to the very back of the classroom, a place where I hope that Professor Knight will forget all about me. As I wait for class to start, I find myself getting several glares and disconcerted looks from my fellow classmates. They're jealous.

The classroom has mostly filled up and class is about to begin when loud, running footsteps sound just outside of the classroom door. Every head in the room turns to see who the intruder is. The door is flung open and a panting Wazowski stumbles inside, gasping, "Sorry...for being late. I forgot...to set...my alarm."

The Professor manages to make out Wazowski's words despite his long pauses to gulp in air. Obviously a happy go lucky teacher for the most part, Professor Knight says, "That's just fine, m'boy. Please find an empty seat. Class is just about to begin."

I find myself wishing that Professor Knight was a bit stricter and had given Wazowski detention for being late. An evil smile crosses my lips at that thought. Telling myself that I can fantasize about the one-eyed cretin's demise later since I need to concentrate right now, I force my eyes to the front of the classroom and wait for Professor Knight to speak. However, my attention is once again diverted as the lime green creep walks straight in my direction. Great. What does he want? We're in the middle of class!

Skimming the room, I suddenly realize that there's only one empty desk left and that it just so happens to be the desk next to mine. My nose wrinkles, but I have no choice but to allow Wazowski to sit directly to my right. He doesn't seem too thrilled about our seating arrangements either since he looks as if he's smelling rotten eggs as he plops down next to me.

"I hope that you all had a nice weekend and are ready to get your thinking caps back on," the Professor says in an overly cheerful voice. "I expect that you've all managed to get your homework done. I will collect it now and grade your work during class time while you read the next chapter. Thankfully, it's a short one. Mr. Bile, could you please walk around the room and collect homework from all the students?"

Bile, the aqua blue monster I've come to recognize as George's best friend, immediately gets to his feet and nods, eager to please as he replies, "Yes, sir!"

As Bile starts down the aisles between the rows of seats in the classroom, I find myself giving Wazowski a sideways look. I don't see what Sullivan sees in him or how he can even manage to room with him. The little imbecile has no redeemable qualities, isn't even all that good of a scarer, and smells foul.

As if sensing my gaze on him, Wazowski glances over in my direction and points out a-matter-of-factly, "I didn't want to sit by you, so don't expect this to be a regular thing."

I snort at the idea of wanting the cyclops to sit next to me. Shaking my head at him dubiously, I whisper back, "Don't flatter yourself, Wazowski."

Bile is a bit of a slow mover and Professor Knight is apparently in a hurry because after two minutes of tapping his pencil on his desk, the Professor says, "Miss Mae, will you help Mr. Bile and collect the homework papers from the students sitting on the left side of the room?"

"Of course, Professor Knight," a lilting voice sounds from two desks in front of Wazowski's desk. I watch absentmindedly as the rose-skinned girl with lavender snake-like hair and a pale green eye gets up from her chair. She smooths the skirt of her moss-colored dress and starts collecting homework from the left side of the classroom just like Professor Knight asked her to. I don't pay much attention to her and observe my hands with nothing better to do.

From next to me, I hear a sharp intake of breath. Hoping that Wazowski had a sudden heart attack and has just inhaled his last breath, I glance out of the corner of my eye at him. Unfortunately, he has not suffered a heart attack and looks very much alive as he stares at Celia Mae with amazement. It doesn't take me long to realize what all of his fuss is about. He's clearly spellbound by the pretty girl. Rolling my eyes, I go back to observing my finger pads and then decide to flip my arithmetic textbook open to the proper page to prepare for later.

I'm still busy flipping through the pages of the heavy book when Wazowski leans across the aisle to me again and hisses, "Psst, Randall!" I glance over at him with a bored look on my face, wondering what the little creep wants now. Giving me a hard look, Wazowski whispers, "I call keep-offsies! I saw her first and she is going to be my lovely Juliet and I will be her charming Romeo."

Blinking twice at the lime green monster, I ask even though I have a pretty good idea what he's going on about, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Uh, Miss Mae, of course! Who else would I be talking about?" Wazowski replies, looking at me as if I've lost my mind.

Shrugging, I reply, "How should I know what runs through that pea-sized brain of yours?" Wazowski opens his mouth to throw a retort back at me, but I continue on before he can get upset, "Anyway, you don't have to worry. I'm not interested in the girl. I've got my studies to obsess over."

"Oh. Well good then. I'm glad you're OCD," Wazowski says, immediately perking up at my words. He hesitates and then asks, "Do you know her name?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," I reply flippantly, going to use Wazowski's question in my favor. Giving him my razor sharp toothed smile, I reply, "If you do something for me, I'll tell you the girl's name if it's that important to you."

Wazowski hesitates, his single eye fixed on Celia as she moves gracefully from the front of the classroom to the back of the classroom where the two of us are sitting. He clearly doesn't trust me and my bargains, but he also wants to know Celia's name badly. Finally, he sighs and asks, "What do you want then?"

"I want the tennis tutoring lesson cut in half. Instead of an hour, I want it to be a half hour," I reply immediately since I've been dreading my private tennis lesson with my school enemy since the moment I got up this morning.

Wazowski hesitates again and points out, "Ms. Stanley says that it's supposed to be an hour. I don't want her cheating me out of my free A graduation grade if she finds out..."

"She's not gonna find out unless you or I tell her. I, of course, will not," I reply smoothly before flicking one of my fronds off of my forehead, adding, "No harm done though. I'll just keep the girl's name all to myself since she's clearly not all that big of a deal to you."

At these words, Wazowski's face screws up and he sighs dramatically before giving in to me and sighing, "Okay, okay, fine. The tutoring lesson will be a half hour if you tell me the lovely lady's name and if you swear never to let the tutoring time change slip to anyone, especially Ms. Stanley."

"I'm not stupid, Wazowski. I'm not gonna tell her that and in turn get myself into trouble," I mutter dryly before a smile slides across my face. I like getting the better of the cretin. He's not nearly as hard to best as Sullivan is. In a careless tone of voice, I add, "The girl's name is Celia."

"Celia," Wazowski sighs, already looking like he's in heaven. "It's a perfect name for a perfect girl."

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_Review please! :) Also, I'm so sorry for the late update. I got into a horrible fight with my mother, which gave me a panic attack, and now I'm just feeling kind of down. Hope the chapter is still decent though.  
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	40. Chapter XXXIX

**honorstudent97: Oh god, can someone just stick us into the Monsters University world already? I can just imagine us chasing Johnny and Sulley around the school. Good thing we're not after the same guy. ;) Anyway, yay, I'm glad that you liked the new chapter on deviant art! I reckon that Randall got his glasses cleaned finally, eh? :P  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Aw, I'm so sorry that you had to go without internet for two days! How did you survive that? I personally can't go without the net for more than a few hours at a time. :P Thanks so much for liking the chapters though and for wishing me luck. :D**

**dreyparara: D'awww, thanks again for saying that I have talent! *hugs* That's super nice of you to say. Personally, I like MI Randall way better than MU Randall, so that's probably why this story is about MI Randall in a college atmosphere. Oh god, I was the same way about watching MU! I loved parts of it and the RORs, but the Randall scenes disappointed me. Were you disappointed by them too? I hope that you like this update! *crosses fingers*  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I'm so glad that you liked the chapter! Sometimes I don't think that I'm alright, but I always seem to make it to the next day, so I guess that I'm alright. *hugs* Thanks for the concern!  
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**Remy: Thanks for the sympathy about the fight with my mom. It seems like we fight an awful lot of the time and that there are a lot more downs than ups, but I guess that's just the way life works, right? Thanks so much for liking the chapter! I love the name Boggivan too. It sounds cool, doesn't it? :D I'm really glad to hear that you like detailed stories because this one is definitely detailed. I hope that I'm not going overboard with detail. *hides* Thanks for commenting!  
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**Mysterious: Yay, I'm glad that you thought that the chapter was still awesome. *high fives you* You're so nice! Ooo, that's awesome that Madoka Magica's first two movies are online for free! I absolutely love finding movies for free online, you know? I screamed really loud when I found Monsters University online. Have you watched the movies yet? I'll definitely watch them when I get the chance! And I know, right? I'm with you on the Nostalgia Critic! *grabs an awe* Lol, but anyway, who are your top ten villains if you don't mind my asking? I love villains!  
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**James95: It's great to hear that you're still liking the story! Same thoughts here about Celia. It did seem kind of odd that she wasn't in the movie at all. What do you think of her character? I really like her. I hope that this chapter is all that you expect it to be!  
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**Mickfang27: It is good news that Randall only has to spend thirty minutes instead of an hour with Mike! Time spent with Mike is bound to be trouble, so the shorter the time, the better. Yeah, I get panic attacks. To some extent, they're genetic, but I'm a very nervous person in general with high anxiety and health issues, so I get them really frequently. Aw, I'm sorry about South Carolina with the natural disasters. Those must be scary at times. *hugs* I'll see what I can do about getting skype since it's free. Free is always good! I totally understand why you'd want to drop all contact with your parents. I'd love to do that, but involuntary guardianship keeps me here under their custody even though I'm eighteen because I have "mental issues". Doesn't that suck? But anyway, thanks for the tips about anime! Do you have any favorite animes?  
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**Anna Sparkles: Hello! *waves* Aw man, that must've sucked getting your iPod taken away from you temporarily! Do you use it a lot? I pretty much am always listening to my mp3 player (well, technically it's my dad's mp3 player, but I stole it from him because mine broke and he never uses his). I love comedies and kid movies too! Kid stuff is awesome, you know? I love Disney and Pixar things so much even though I'm 18. I haven't watched Gravity Falls or Scooby Doo, but maybe I should? And oh god, yessssssss, I am obsessed with Johnny. I have a Johnny shirt, two posters with Johnny on them, three different Johnny figurines, a Johnny scare and roll, a Johnny plush, a Johnny shake and scare, and I just bought a life-sized Johnny poster. xD I'm crazy, I know. :P But anyway, thanks about the fight with my mom. The two of us do not get along and sometimes we just really hate each other. :S Thanks for the review!  
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**AngeliqueRox: Thanks for hoping that I feel better! My mother and I have a really rocky relationship. We had another fight tonight and both ended up in tears again. My mom says it's my fault since she's trying to get me through an eating disorder and I'm not exactly being cooperative, but eating hurts, so we have fights over food a lot as stupid as that might sound. I love that scene in MI where Randall is trying to explain the situation to Mike and Mike's just not getting it. Also, where did he get the "Painted?" thing from? Mike is very random. I can't believe that he used to be an A plus student in college, you know? I want to know why Randall sounded Australian too! That seemed...odd. I'll be quite honest and admit that I thought that I was going to hate the RORs before watching the movie, but then I ended up loving them and I have another fanfic about them on here somewhere. I take it that you don't like them all that much? Thanks for the comment and I hope that you like this chapter!  
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**badberry123: Aw, thank you so much for the compliment on the last chapter! I liked the moment where Randall fell into Sulley too; that was cute! *squeals* I agree with you completely about how Randall is sometimes the tough guy and sometimes the damsel in distress. He tries to act like a tough guy, but lizards don't exactly give off the big, scary monster vibe, you know? Randall remembers Celia's name because either Don or Scott told it to him when they were on the bus at the beginning of this story. I forgot who it was though. :P God, same here, I hated P.E. so much when I was in school! I like walking and running, but I have terrible hand-eye coordination. You can definitely expect some MikexCelia moments in here along with a few other parings I love. xD Mhm, that is a good point! I think that both Randall (geez, I almost wrote Chet instead of Randall...okay then...) and Sulley had crushes on each other from the moment that they met on the bus! During the argument between Sulley and Fungus, Randall is a bit, ah, zoned out. The argument starts because Fungus doesn't think that Sulley's treating Randall right. Funk's very protective of him. Same here about that ROR party music! It's like the best music ever! Of course, if I got invited to the party, I would be searching that bloody place from top to bottom for Johnny, haha. Hm, that's interesting that you think that because I've always imagined Randall as dominate in RandallxSulley! I guess that it can go either way though. They sort of flip flop roles in this story. Yay, I really can't wait to see your picture! *jumps up and down* I'm glad that my chapter inspired you to draw it! Honestly, I don't think that Randall would've survived without Funk to help him through the breakup. He's in terrible condition after it for more than one reason. Mm, I agree that Johnny isn't the typical jock. I have this headcanon where he tried to overdose after the scare games (it's obvious how much losing affected him and his reputation), but Chet talked him out of it. Anyway, yeah, my Chet plushie would've cried without Johnny to talk to him. :P They sit on my bed and keep each other company there. :D You know...I actually would've liked it if Johnny randomly appeared out of the closet and introduced himself to me. Would you ever like to meet any of the MU/MI monsters? Thanks for the review!  
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**Chapter XXXIX  
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I could really care less about Celia Mae. It doesn't matter to me if she's sitting in front of me, collecting my papers, or even smiling at me. I'm just not interested in girls right now. Relationships always end up in a tangle of lies and deceit. That much I've learned from my mother, and look where she ended up - alone, depressed, and losing her mind. Yeah, I think I'll pass on relationships for now. There's always time for them in the future if I ever feel like willingly throwing myself into my grave.

Wazowski, on the other hand, is practically bobbing up and down in his chair in excitement at having a pretty girl collecting our arithmetic homework on our side of the room. The dreamy look on his face is more than enough to tell me that Wazowski is a hopeless romantic who believes in true love and that kind of thing. He's like an immature kid who hasn't quite grown up yet. Sighing, I roll my eyes and wait to see how Celia's and Wazowski's first interaction will go. This should be interesting to say the least.

Just as the lavender-haired, rose-skinned girl approaches our desks, Wazowski extends his papers toward her with an extravagant flourish. I bite my tongue to keep from chuckling as he attempts to give the girl a dashing smile, murmuring, "My, you're looking fabulous today, Celia, my beautiful blossom. What do you say to eating lunch with me in the cafeteria after class?"

"Um..." Celia looks caught off guard at Wazowski's sudden flattery as she takes his arithmetic homework from him and adds it to the pile already in her arms. Looking apathetic about the entire matter, Celia finally says, "I can't. I already promised Rosie and Penelope that I'd sit with them. How do you know my name anyway?"

"Mr. Boggs over there told me," Wazowski admits, shoving a finger in my direction before trying to give Celia a sultry look. When that fails and she glances towars me instead of keeping her gaze on the electric green eyeball, Wazowski gets desperate and says, "Look, I really need to talk to you about something. Can't Rosie and what's-her-face wait until later?"

"No, sorry," Celia replies, already looking like she's lost interest in the cyclops as she reaches out and snags the papers lying on my desk. I notice her emerald eye open slightly with interest and I expect her to ask how I know her name. To my surprise and to Wazowski's annoyance, that's not at all what she does though. The green-eyed monster gives me an almost coy smile and says, "Hi. What's your name?"

"Randall or Randy. I've got monsters calling me by both," I shrug my shoulders, managing to look even more apathetic than Celia when she was talking to Wazowski. She had better not be getting the wrong idea about me. Just because I happened to know her name and tell it to Wazowski does not mean that I have a thing for her. Trying to close our conversation before it opens up for my sake, the girl's sake, and partially to sate Wazowski's rage before smoke starts spewing out of his ears, I turn my eyes resolutely to the ground where a piece of chewed, wadded up bubble gum is sitting millimeters away from my foot. Disgusted, I wrinkle my nose and move my foot away from the offending splotch of pink on the floor.

Despite my wrinkled expression, Celia still remains standing by my desk, Wazowski watching me with envy. Tucking a strand of coiled violet hair behind one ear, Celia goes on, "I like the name Randall or Randy. They're both nice names. What one would you prefer for me to call you?"

I'm starting to get worried about how long this conversation is gonna last, but luckily the impatient Professor Knight saves me from having to answer Celia's question. He clears his throat and sends a meaningful look over to our side of the classroom, stacking the papers Bile gave him as he asks, "How is the paper collecting going over there, Miss Mae?"

"I just finished it. I'll bring you the papers right now," Celia promises the teacher before turning, her sparkling eye still on me as she adds, "See you soon, Randy."

As Celia sashays back up to the front of the room, I can tell that I'm in trouble with a certain someone sitting to my right. Wazowski is glaring daggers at me. As soon as Celia is out of hearing range, he leans across the aisle between our desks and hisses, "How do you know her?"

"I don't," I reply truthfully, noting that Wazowski is jumping to conclusions again. He already has his metal mouth opened wide to say something else, but I shut him up by reminding him, "There's a reason why she asked my name, you know. That means that she doesn't already know me."

Wazowski tries to come up with some sort of retort as Celia hands the papers to Professor Knight. He combines them with the papers he collected from Bile and sits down at his desk to do some correcting, announcing as he does so, "We have about forty minutes of class left. During this time, I will correct your homework and you will read chapter two in your history book. It has to do with subtraction, the opposite of addition. If you understood the first chapter, you shouldn't have too hard of a time understanding this one. Please begin."

The sound of wrinkling paper and soft (or in some cases loud) thuds sound as students dump their arithmetic textbooks onto their desks and then flip through the pages of them to find the correct chapter. Wazowski has given up on finding a retort or insult to throw at me and has resorted to staring at Celia's back, completely oblivious to anything else going on around him. I shake my head slightly at the sight of the starstruck lover and then lower my eyes to my arithmetic textbook. Until a certain someone, I'm not at all distracted and have an easy time concentrating on chapter two. Just like Professor Knight promised, the chapter is shorter than the first one and is relatively easy to understand. I finish reading it in the first twenty minutes of class and decide to get a head start on the homework that goes along with chapter two. I've just pulled out a pencil when Professor Knight clears his throat and stands up from his desk, dragging the classes' attention away from their textbooks to him.

"You all did a relatively good job on the first your books. I'd like to point out that Randy Boggs was the only one to earn a perfect A on this first assignment. Well done, Randy! I've said it before, but I really do think that you should abandon the scaring career and look at becoming a mathematician instead! You have a brilliant mind," Professor Knight compliments me.

Not for the first time in this class, I feel like disappearing. My cheeks heat up as everyone turns to stare at me with distaste held in their eyes. I meet their gazes defensively. It's not _my_ fault that Professor Knight insists on embarrassing me in front of everyone. They can't possibly think that I like this attention because it's obvious that I don't. The only monster looking at me and not glaring is Celia, who has a proud smile on her pale pink lips. I intentionally don't meet her gaze and return to my subtraction problems.

A long silence forms in the classroom as everyone continues to stare at me. The moment draws on until Professor Knight finally clears his throat and orders, "Carry on then. There's still twenty minutes of class left. Let's not waste it, hm?"

One by one, the piercing eyes turn away from me. Relief floods through me, but it's only for a few minutes. Approaching footsteps cause a steady thump, thump, thump to sound from the aisle next to me. I cringe, expect Professor Knight to want to talk to me once again about god-knows-what. Luckily, he doesn't. Instead, he turns to Wazowski and starts a quiet conversation with him. I hope that the one-eyed cretin is getting in trouble for something. Maybe he copied his homework from another student or failed to complete it.

I'm still coming up with a long list of things Wazowski could have done to fail his homework when Professor Knight turns to me and raises an eyebrow, murmuring, "My goodness, Randy, have you already finished reading the next chapter? Yes? Very good then! I must say that I am very impressed. Unfortunately, Mr. Wazowski seems to lack your talent for this particular subject. Would you mind helping him out for the last fifteen minutes of class? I would greatly appreciate it."

Yes. Yes, I would mind helping Wazowski out! Unfortunately, this isn't something that I can say aloud. Repressing my true thoughts, I smile politely at Professor Knight and say, "I wouldn't mind at all. Would you like me to start right now?"

"Yes please. I knew that I could count on you, Randy, my boy!" Professor Knight replies gratefully, giving me a slap on the back that causes me to fly forward in my chair and jam my ribcage against the edge of the table. Professor Knight doesn't notice this and is already heading back up to the front of the classroom.

Sighing, I procrastinate for a few minutes before reluctantly standing up and dragging my chair over to Wazowski's desk. He's sitting with his chin propped up in his hands, head tilted to the right and eyes focused on Celia Mae. His mouth is hanging open and I'm surprised that I don't see drool coming out of it. No wonder the little numbskull did so poorly on his homework.

"Professor Knights wants me to help you with the next chapter," I point out to the green cyclops, deciding to get straight to the point. "Do you want me to read the rest of the chapter out loud to you or what?" As rude as it is, Wazowski continues to ignore me and keeps on staring at Celia. Annoyed, I wave a hand vigorously in front of his face and snap, "Earth to Wazowski! I don't want to do this any more than you do. The least you can do is pay attention."

Finally, Wazowski speaks, but it isn't about anything regarding chapter two of the math textbook. Instead, he talks about - you guessed it - Celia. "Psst, look, Randall! She's staring at me!"

Part of me is tempted to grab Wazowski's shoulders and shake him until his teeth rattle and fall out, but the calmer side of me manages to stay in control for now. Following Wazowski's gaze, I realize that Celia is looking in our direction. She's not looking at the eyeball though. Deciding to use this information to my advantage, I hiss back at Wazowski, "She's looking at me, not you, you twit. Look, maybe she's into guys who ace their homework. Studying harder might get her to give you a second glance."

Wazowski considers my words for a moment before visibly brightening up and deciding to pay attention, pointing to a phrase on the page of his book, asking, "So what exactly is the subtraction property?"

I spend the remaining portion of class helping the cyclops out with chapter two. I knew from the beginning that Wazowski isn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box, but I didn't realize until now how downright stupid his mind is. The cretin still doesn't understand the difference between addition and subtraction by the end of the class and I'm starting to think that the only reason he's asking me pointless questions regarding the text is to try and show off for Celia and make it look like he's working extremely hard at his subtraction.

Finally, class ends and Professor Knight says, "Our time is up already! If you haven't already finished chapter two, that will be your homework for this week along with the subtraction problems that accompany chapter two. You're all dismissed. Have a nice afternoon, class."

There are the scrapping of chairs, low thrum of chatter between students, and the snapping sound of books falling shut as everyone hurries to gather their school supplies and head toward the classroom door. I'm not usually in a hurry to exit the classroom, but my instincts tell me that with Professor Knight, Celia Mae, and Wazowski still in the room with me, I'd better get out of here. Fast.

Leaving the arithmetic classroom as quickly as I can, I throw myself into the cluster of students pouring through the hallways, most of them making their way to the lunchroom. I glance at the clock to my right and realize that I have enough time to drop by the cafeteria before art. I am slightly hungry and so I slip through the thick masses of students until I reach the elevator. After pressing the familiar red button, I arrive on the first floor of the school moments later. It's easy to let the crowd of monsters swallow me up and bring me to the cafeteria. When I enter it, I groan. The lunch line is even longer than it was the last time I stopped here. At this rate, I'll be waiting for lunch all day.

Before I resign myself to joining the paranormally long line, I notice a bean-shaped red figure waving frantically at me from the opposite side of the lunchroom. That would definitely be Funk, and by the looks of things, he's gotten enough lunch for both of us. Glad that I don't have to wait in the long line mainly because patience is not one of my best qualities, I immediately slip out of the lunch line and weave my way around students and tables until I reach Fungus' empty table at the far side of the room. He must really be getting to know me well by this point because we're sitting in the darkest corner of the room.

Smiling slightly, I slide into a chair next to Fungus and say, "Hey, Funk. Got enough lunch to share?"

As usual, Fungus smiles brightly at me and nods. I start to reach forward toward the food on the lunch tray before realizing that something's off. Hm, what could it be...?

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_Review please! :)  
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	41. Chapter XXXX

**Hey guys! As you may or may not have noticed, I haven't been updating as much as I usually do. This is for a reason! As some of you know, I've been having difficulties with my parents over the last few months. They've tried to keep me here at home even though I'm legally eighteen. Well, I got fed up with the situation and called the police and now I'm free! This is great and all and I'm very pleased to get away from here, but until I find permanent living conditions, I won't have access to wi-fi very often. I'll update when I can, but please be understanding and realize that until things get more stable for me, I'll probably only update once or twice a week. Please don't forget about me or ditch my stories though! You guys are the BEST for reading them and I don't know what I'd do without you all. Also, I know that I didn't reply to reviews. I feel awful about that, but like I said, my wi-fi time is super limited. As soon as I get more permanent access to the internet, I'll reply to reviews again - I promise!  
**

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**Chapter XXXX  
**

From out of the corner of my eyes, I observe Fungus carefully. There's something different about him although I can't quite seem to place my finger on what it is. The swelling of his right eye has decreased dramatically over the course of the weekend and the once dark purple bruise on his cheek has lightened in color, but I'm pretty sure that neither of these are the thing I'm looking for. Fungus is smiling cheerfully at me, but that's nothing new. His glasses are the same old spectacles with the thick black rims. Puzzled, I give him a long look before realizing the difference instantly as if I just got smacked in the face by it. Fungus is wearing a light blue hat made of some sort of fabric that he has pulled tightly over his head.

"You got a new hat, I see," I point out, unable to keep my observation to myself. For some reason, my comment causes Fungus to stiffen. He nods succinctly and seems to edge away from me, a worried look on his face. Not sure what his problem is, I say, "Didn't know that blue hats were back in style. It looks good on you though."

To be quite honest, blue is not Fungus' best color, but I have an inkling that he's feeling self-conscious about the hat and I don't want him to feel bad about it. Giving me a half-smile, the speckled monster tries to change the subject, saying, "How was your w-weekend? I looked for you in the lunchroom, but I never saw you there."

I notice that Fungus has gone back to stammering, something that he only does when he's nervous. I'm making him nervous, but why? Knowing that I'll never get an answer if I straight out ask Fungus what's bothering him, I play along with his choice of conversation for now and reach across the table to pull the lunch tray between us, replying, "I spent most of my weekend finishing my homework and studying. Of course, it didn't help that it sounded like all hell was breaking loose on Saturday though."

Fungus nods emphatically and plucks up a carrot stick from the lunch tray filled with all sorts of things from colorful veggies to fresh fruit to greasy potato chips. Crunching on his carrot, Fungus says, "It was awful, wasn't it? Waxford, my roommate, went to one of the parties. I c-can't believe he would do such a thing!"

"I never understood the partying type," I nod my agreement to Fungus' statement, reaching toward the lunch tray and plucking up a potato chip from between my second and third finger. I twirl it around before popping it into my mouth, adding, "You know that you can study in the library, right? I should've done that on Saturday, but I wasn't thinking."

"The library?" Fungus asks, his bright orange hand returning to the veggies and selecting a blood red radish as his eyebrows knot together and he admits, "I don't think that I've ever been there before."

As usual, Funk begins to relax and stops stammering the more we talk. I pop the potato chip into my mouth and savor the taste of grease and salt before replying, "It's on the third floor. You can't miss it. I'll show you the place sometime if you want. I think that I might start doing more of my studying there just to get a break from Doom. He's been spending a lot more time in the dorm room lately, probably because the Dean gave us that long talk about being in our beds by curfew and whatnot."

Fungus' face drains slightly and he reverts to stuttering, saying, "D-doom is spending more time in your r-room?"

"Yeah, but it ain't anything to worry about. Geez, relax, Funk! You're way too tense. I can take care of myself. Besides for giving me creepy looks, Doom hasn't even tried to talk to me yet," I inform Fungus before deciding to change the subject to keep him from flipping out further. "You on a diet or something? All I ever see you eating are veggies these days. Have a chip. It'll do you good."

My change of conversation actually works. Fungus blushes a shade of dark crimson and admits, "I am on a diet actually."

Face contorting, I make a face as I grab another chip. Monsters come in all different shapes and sizes. It's a lot harder for us to define "underweight" and "overweight" than it is for humans. Giving Fungus a once over, I come to a conclusion and point out mid-crunch, "You don't need to diet, Funk. You look fine the way you are."

"R-really?" Fungus stammers, looking quite pleased as he looks up and meets my emerald eyes with his dark brown ones to see if I really mean what I'm saying or not. "You mean it?"

"Nah, I just said that for the sake of saying it," I reply sarcastically before rolling my eyes in exasperation and replying, "Of course I mean it, Funk! I don't say things that I don't mean. You should know that. Now eat a chip before you start withering away and the doctors label you as an anorexic and throw you into an eating disorder ward."

Taking the matter into my own hands, I shove a chip between Fungus' parted lips, causing him to giggle. I chuckle along, glad that my opinion matters so much to the smaller monster. It's true that we're the same age, but Fungus seems a lot younger than me in several ways. He lacks self esteem, that's for sure. Someday, I hope to get him to quit his stuttering once and for all. I'm tempted to ask him if he's stammered his whole life or if it's just a nervous habit of his. I'm about to ask him this when Fungus suddenly frowns and speaks first.

"Psst, Randy! Sullivan is looking at you again. Why is he always looking at you? Is there something going on between the two of you or something?" Fungus whispers in my ear, an almost jealous note in his voice as he fixes his dark gaze on a bright turquoise and lavender figure sitting at a lunch table about fifty meters from ours. Sullivan is surrounded by Art, Scott, Don, Wazowski, and a few other monsters, but his intense blue eyes are almost certainly fixed in my direction.

For some reason, my cheeks heat up at Fungus' accusation and I whirl on him, my words coming out a little harsher than I meant them to as I snap, "What do you mean 'is something going on between the two of us'?"

Fungus leans way back from me, fear in his eyes as I glower down at him, arms folded tightly across my chest. Stammering even worse than before, Fungus finally manages to say, "N-n-nothing! I d-don't know why I said that. I just w-wanted to know why he was looking at you again."

"Do I look like a mind reader to you? I don't know what goes through Sullivan's mind, okay?" I snap again, eyes tight as I grab a handful of chips and cram them into my mouth, breaking them into a million tiny pieces as I crunch down on them with razor sharp teeth.

Fungus knows better than to try and talk to me during the rest of lunch break and keeps silent. I cool off after a few minutes and find myself sneaking looks toward Sullivan's table. The shaggy monster isn't looking at me anymore, and for some reason, that makes me feel disappointed. Wait, disappointed? What the hell is wrong with me? I shouldn't feel disappointed and I shouldn't be thinking about Sullivan at all. There's some sort of mutual curiosity between the two of us, but it stops and ends at rivalry. ...I think.

At that moment, Sullivan glances back over at me as if he can read my mind. I immediately turn my eyes away from him and grab another chip to distract myself with. As I chop down on it, I decide to try something just for shits and giggles. Stealing a quick sideways look over at Sullivan to make sure that he's still watching me, I slip my long, forked tongue out of my mouth and wrap it around my finger still shiny from potato chip grease. I suck on the finger delicately and then peek back over at Sullivan. He's watching me with wide eyes now and I get a sort of heady feeling somewhere inside of me.

I might have continued my little game for longer if I didn't sense more than one pair of eyes on me. Turning from Sullivan, I notice Fungus watching the coil of my tongue writhing around my finger. If anything, he looks even more interested in what I'm doing that Sullivan. A third eye is watching me. As I glance around the room to detect who it belongs to, I find myself looking at Celia Mae. I tried to convince myself earlier that she wasn't really interested in me and only asked for my name in arithmetic class earlier to be polite. However, I'd say that there's a little more than polite interest on her face at this point. Before I attract any more starers, I slip my tongue back inside my mouth and glance at the clock.

"Think we should get going to art now?" I suggest to Fungus, speaking to him for the first time since I snapped at him earlier. I probably should apologize to him, but I'm not feeling too forgiving after his comment from earlier. Scrapping my chair across the polished floor, I admit, "I want to be on time even if I hate art."

"O-okay," Fungus replies, still stammering. Great. Now I've probably scared him to the point where he's going to stutter all of the time. There's nothing I can do about this now though.

Funk and I make our way through the cafeteria and out into the hallway. I watch with slight amusement as Fungus takes the long way out of the cafeteria so we don't pass by Sullivan's table. I have to admit that I think that this is all very on purpose. Once in the hallway, it only takes the two of us a few minutes to reach the art classroom. Professor Jones is already standing at the front of the classroom. The two of us nod hello to her before going to the desk we used last time we had art. Bile and George are already sitting at the table and give us a friendly wave. I wave haphazardly in return, not feeling too thrilled to be here. Art, needless to say, is not one of my best subjects and I'm not liking the pile of the white sourdough-like substance piled up in a ceramic bowl on Mrs. Jones' desk.

In the next few minutes, several more monsters arrive at the classroom. I'm not surprised to see Celia Mae walk in through the door, trailed by a lovestruck Wazowski who appears to be blabbering to her deaf ears as he practically chases her across the classroom to her desk. Sullivan and Scott enter the room next, hand in hand. My stomach turns over as I watch the two of them, eyes narrowing. However, when the two glance my way, I find myself staring at my desk. It's odd how Sullivan and I can talk like the best of friends when we're alone together, but how things are so strained and awkward with each other when we're in a public setting.

Class starts a few minutes later and Mrs. Jones clears her throat, announcing, "We're going to be making clay pots and painting them today. Who has worked with clay before?"

Oh, clay. That must be what the sourdough-like stuff in the bowl must be. I've never worked with clay before and find myself thinking that this is probably an experience I wouldn't mind missing. Me trying to work with clay is a disaster waiting to happen.

"Ooo, me! I've made things with clay before!" Art's loud voice exclaims from across the classroom. The purple monster practically jumps up and down as he adds, "I love working with clay!"

"Well, that's very good to hear then, Mr...uh, Art," Mrs. Jones says. Nobody has figured out whether Art is the fuzzy monster's first name or last name yet, so for the time being, it serves as both. Going on, Mrs. Jones says, "Making clay bowls isn't nearly as hard as it sounds. As long as you pay careful attention to my directions, you should be fine. First of all, you're going to take a lump of clay from my desk here. Either using your hands or some of the tools in the green box on my desk, mold your clay into a bowl. Once you have your clay molded into your desired shape, bring it to the kiln at the back of the room and place it inside the oven. After after thirty minutes, check on your bowl. It should have hardened by then. While you are working on shaping your bowls, I'm going to be setting up bowls of paint around the room along with paintbrushes. Once your bowl has hardened, you may paint it however you like. Any questions?"

My head spins around fuzzily as I try to remember everything that Mrs. Jones just said. I hate raising my hand and asking questions in class, so I keep silent like all of the other students. I can just copy Funk and ask him for help if I forget what to do later.

"Great," Mrs. Jones says, looking glad not to have to repeat herself. "You may get started and get your clay from the front of the room now. No pushing please. Like I said earlier, I'll be setting up the paint while you're working on your bowls. If you need any help, feel free to ask me for assistance."

At once, the class moves as one as the monsters get to their feet and move toward the front of the room. I stand up reluctantly and trail them to the clay, knowing that this class is gonna end up as a tragedy in my book of unfortunate events at art class. Clay and I just don't see eye to eye. Either I'll end up with a funky shaped bowl, my bowl will end up getting charred, or I'll screw up the paint somehow or the other. How come art is so easy to turn into a disaster?

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_Review please! :)  
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	42. Chapter XXXXI

**Hello to all of my lovely reviewers! I practically cried with happiness when I came on here and realized that you guys are still bothering to read and review this story! Life is getting a little crazy again. I need to find a new place to stay within in the next sixteen days and I still don't have a job. But anyway, it's such a relief to come onto this wonderful website and read your awesome reviews. You guys are awesome! I promise to start replying to reviews as soon as my situation gets more secure, but until then, please keep on reading and reviewing! Thank you soooooooooo much, guys! :D**

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**Chapter XXXXI  
**

Despite the fact that the big, sticky lump of clay already looks like my enemy, I resign myself to the task ahead of me and reluctantly step up to Mrs. Jones' desk to select a wad of clay. My nose wrinkles as my hand makes contact with the gummy substance. Already it's clinging to my webbed finger pads and is seeping through my pores. I'm grateful that Wazowski is occupied with Celia or else I'm sure that he would have called out some sort of taunt to me. I plop back down on my chair and realize that Bile, George, and Fungus, the other monsters at my table, have already made good progress with their bowls. Their originally sticky, formless lumps have begun to take a somewhat circular shape. Fungus' bowl is the best looking by far. The speckled monster bites his lip in concentration and turns his bowl this way and that, trying to pinch it and mold it into a perfect sphere.

I feel a little more confident about my bowl since George and Bile don't seem to be having too difficult of a time with this task. However, when I actually try to work with the clay, my little bubble of confidence completely dissolves. I'd like to blame it on my sticky finger pads and say that's why I'm having an almost impossible time molding my clay, but I guess that if I'm being honest, I'm just that bad at art.

After about twenty minutes or so, monsters start getting up from their desks and heading toward the kiln to put their bowls in it. Fungus is one of the first ones out of his chair. Needless to say, he's made a perfectly shaped bowl. I'm still sweating and slaving away at my own bowl when Funk crosses the room. That's when the real trouble starts. Surprisingly enough, I'm not the one to initiate it. Instead, it's Bile who creates the havoc.

"Hey, look George! I have extra clay left over. I wonder what I should do with it," Bile wonders aloud, pointing to a little lump of extra clay sitting next to his mostly circular bowl. The bluish-purple monster thinks for a moment before his gray eyes light up and he points out, "I could eat it! It looks kind of like cookie dough, don't you think?"

I temporarily stop the frustrating task of shaping my bowl to send an incredulous look over at Bile. I really hope that he is joking about eating the clay. If he actually eats that stuff, he's dafter than Wazowski, which is definitely saying something. Who eats a substance like clay with possibly toxic substances in it?!

George does not seem to be thinking along the same lines as me. Instead, he tilts his head to the side and says, "It looks like sugar cookie dough."

"It does, doesn't it?" Bile admits, picking up the extra lump of clay and shrugging his shoulders before opening his mouth and tossing the clay inside it, murmuring, "I wonder if it tastes like sugar cookie dough too."

A long silence falls after Bile swallows the not-cookie-dough clay. I frown over at him, but make no comment since what the other monster does is really none of my business...until he starts choking and slobbering all over the place like he started doing just now. All eyes in the room turn to stare at Bile as he clutches at his throat and makes exaggerated gagging sounds and motions. George starts panicking and grabs Bile's arm, trying to calm his friend down as Mrs. Jones jumps to her feet and waves Bile out of his chair. Taking his hand, she pulls the asphyxiating monster toward the opened doorway and tells the rest of the class, "I'm going to bring Mr. Bile to the hospital wing. George, you may come too. The rest of you stay here and continue working on your bowls. Behave."

Mrs. Jones disappears from the room, leaving a momentary silence in her wake as she drags Bile off to the hospital wing. It only takes a few minutes before light-hearted chatter breaks out amongst the students. Everyone is determined to take advantage of the fact that the teacher has left the room by disturbing the solitude of the classroom. Fungus returns to our now half empty desk and yawns in boredom while I continue to struggle with my bowl. It resembles anything but a perfect sphere at the moment. I'm get so miffed that I'm about ready to throw the bowl through the window.

"Funk, how did you actually mold this thing?" I ask in exasperation, nodding in annoyance at my lopsided lump of clay.

"Um, well, I s-shaped it and molded the edges. W-ant me to h-help you with yours?" Fungus stammers, still looking a little wary of me after I snapped at him. Luckily, he's still as helpful as ever, which works out to my advantage in this situation. I nod vehemently and shove my bowl in Fungus' direction. Now that Fungus has something to do, I'm the one who's bored. I look around the room and notice Wazowski leaning up against Celia's table, his big mouth open, no doubt going on about something Celia could care less about. Fungus follows my gaze and manages to keep molding my bowl at the same time, something I could never do, as he asks, "Let me g-guess, Wazowski has a crush on the girl with the purple hair?"

"Yeah, you could say that. He can't stop looking at her or talking to her for that matter," I mutter ruefully, feeling the slightest twinge of guilt toward the female monster who has to put up with Wazowski's constant yammering. Just as I'm thinking this, Celia turns in my direction and waves, causing Wazowski to look over his shoulder and throw me a murderous look.

"I think that the girl likes you, not Wazowski," Fungus states the obvious as I pretend to have missed Celia's wave and start picking at the remaining bits of clay stuck to my hands.

"Wow, Funk, it takes a real genius to figure something like that out," I reply sarcastically, flinging a stray bit of clay on my finger across the table. It skids across the wooden surface and them drops onto the floor, somewhere where I don't bother to get it. If it's no longer on my desk, it's no longer mine to worry about, right?

"So?" Fungus urges after a few minutes. "Do you like here?"

"Don't be stupid," I tell Fungus in a disgusted voice. "I have classes to worry about, not girls."

Fungus nods along in agreement and looks happier after my comment. He finished my bowl a few minutes later. For some reason, it still refuses to sit upright in a proper circular shape, but it still looks a hell of a lot better than it did a few minutes ago. Fungus goes to retrieve his bowl from the kiln and put mine inside it while I dig out my arithmetic book, having decided to get a head start on my homework since I'm just going to be sitting here for the next thirty minutes one way or another. I might as well not waste the time twiddling my thumbs.

Fungus paints, I focus on subtraction problems, and somehow or the other, time seems to slip away from me. Mrs. Jones has been gone with Bile and George for ages now, but I'm too concerned with my current subtraction problem to think about that. In fact, I'm too preoccupied to even remember my bowl roasting in the kiln. Finally, it's Fungus who reminds me of it several minutes later.

"Um, Randy? I hate to disturb you, but, uh..." Fungus starts out hesitantly.

"What?" I snap, jerking my head in his direction. The little red monster just completely broke off my concentration and now I'm gonna have to start the subtraction problem all over again.

Flinching at my sharp tone of voice and looking like I just slapped him in the face instead of asked a simple question, Fungus points a shaking finger across the room toward the kiln and says, "M-maybe you want to go check on your bowl? I think it's been thirty minute since you put it in there."

"Damn," I swear under my breath, realizing that Fungus is right; it's been a lot longer than thirty minutes since the bowl has been in the kiln. I rush across the room to it and throw the oven open. A burning smell wafts out of the kiln and into the air. Students cough and send me annoyed looks from their desks. I quickly select my charred bowl and slam the kiln shut once again before the toxic fumes can engulf the classroom. Unfortunately, I forgot that the bowl is going to be fiery hot. I end up burning my hands in several places as I hurry back to my desk and practically throw the bowl down onto it. Guess I'm lucky it didn't break although I don't feel so lucky with the burns on my hands.

Fungus looks like he's going to warn me about being careful, but then he takes one look at my face and decides otherwise. His bowl is already painted and now the little monster has nothing to do. Wanting to finish this task before Mrs. Jones dismisses us, I grab a paintbrush, glance at the colors of paint at my table and absentmindedly select a shade of turquoise blue for my bowl. After painting the entire bowl a shade of turquoise, I decide to add a few streaks of purple here and there to add a nice splash to it. My painting is far from perfect, but somehow or the other, I manage to finish painting my bowl before Mrs. Jones returns to the room.

Sighing with relief, I turn around in my chair and look to see who else has finished their bowls. Wazowski's gaudy bowl immediately catches my eye. The eyeball has painted it a shade of light pink and has decorated it by painting sloppy red hearts onto it. I'm guessing that he's going to give it to Celia.

Just then, the door to the classroom is flung open and Mrs. Jones steps inside it looking a bit flustered. The chatter in the room immediately dies down and everyone tries to pretend that they're doing something productive. Mrs. Jones doesn't look fooled and observes the class with shrewd eyes, saying, "Mr. Bile is going to be fine although he's going to stay in the hospital wing for the rest of the day. May I ask what the burning smell is from?"

All eyes turn to me. A lump forms in my throat and I admit quietly, "I accidentally left my bowl in the kiln for too long."

"Hm, I see," Mrs. Jones says, not looking at all happy about this. "I expect you to be more careful next time, Mr. Boggs. I specifically told you to put your bowl in the kiln for thirty minutes and no longer than that." I blush with embarrassment and nod shortly. Mrs. Jones glances up at the clock hanging over her desk and says, "You have five minutes before class is up."

The few monsters who are still working on their bowls frown and immediately start sloppily painting their creations in an attempt to hurry and finish them before the class is dismissed. The only thing worse than a messy bowl like mine is an unfinished bowl. Glad that I've finished mine, I lean over toward Fungus and ask him quietly, "You ever been to the hospital wing before?"

"No, I haven't, but I know where it is," Funk replies in a low tone of voice. "You know the sixth floor, the floor we never go to? It's on the floor above that." I nod and stash this information away for later. I'm not planning on making any mad dashes to the hospital wing, but it never hurts to be prepared. Fungus glances sideways over at my turquoise and lavender bowl before he says in a tone that indicates otherwise, "Those are nice colors."

Fungus may have thought that I wouldn't catch the odd note in his voice, but I immediately notice it. My eyes trail in the direction of Fungus' dark gaze and I find him glancing at Sullivan. My cheeks turn an ugly purplish-red color as I notice that I've unintentionally painted my bowl the same shades as Sullivan. I abruptly turn away from Fungus so he can't see my poppy red cheeks. I want to think that my turquoise and purple bowl turned out those specific colors for reasons not related to the shaggy blue monster sitting across the room from me, but I can't fool myself.

Finally, class ends and Mrs. Jones calls out, "Time is up, children! Please stop working now. Leave all of your materials on the table. I will come around to pick them up later. You're dismissed."

Everyone hurries to their feet, glad to have permission not to have to clean up their work areas. For once, I'm one of the first ones out of my chair because my hands are still sticky with paint and I'm dying to wash them off. As I start toward the door with Fungus behind me, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I'm tempted to ignore it, but end up turning around to face a bright green eyeball. In a voice loud enough for the entire class to hear, Wazowski says, "Meet me at the tennis court at six for our tutoring session. Don't be late!"

A few monsters standing nearby turn and snicker at Wazowski's overly loud, optimistic voice as he skips by me in the hallway. I grit my teeth together, feeling extremely embarrassed to have to be tutored by the little one-eyed cretin. My fists clench together, but almost immediately uncurl when I realize that I'm digging clay further into my scales.

"I forgot that you have tutoring with Wazowski tonight," Fungus says flatly, not looking happy about the situation either. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to study with me in the library, but I suppose you're going to be too busy to do that, right?"

"Yeah. I have to get this awful clay off of my hands and then meet Wazowski at the gym," I sigh haphazardly as Fungus and I come to a halt at the fork in the hallway where Fungus is going to take a right and I'm going to take a left. Giving the bean-shaped monster a morbid smile, I mutter, "Wish me luck."

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_Review please! :)  
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	43. Chapter XXXXII

**Remy: Thank you so much for your support and for hoping that I can find a place to stay! I honestly think that I've found a place (with wi-fi!) that I can stay at for at least a month, so that's great news, right? :) Things are starting to look up for me! Wow, so you're actually good at art? I have to admit that I fail epically at art. Randy's struggles with art sort of describe my own. My art teacher used to hate me so much. And omg, same, I'd rather end up with a toad than with Mike too. If you could choose any MU character to end up with, who would you choose? Sorry, random question. xD Also, I'm very sorry about the bullies! I remember hating high school so much. *hugs you* I hope that you had a better day!  
**

**BloodRedRoses04: Thank you so much! I really hope that you like this chapter too!**

**XxSgt KululuxX: Yay, I'm so glad to hear that you wouldn't forget about me! *hugs you* That means a lot to me to hear, you know. :) I'm always thinking that people will just forget about me and this story if I don't update often. *cries* I'm so happy that you liked the chapter though! Let's definitely let the hugs begin! *hugs everyone 'cuz I'm a sap***

**James95: I'm really glad to hear that you liked the chapter! Do you like Randall and Sulley or Randall and Funk together more? Thanks for the comment!**

**Mysterious: Woohoo, you liked the chapter that much? *high fives you* Thank you so much! Hearing that makes my day!**

**Mickfang27: I agree that it was quite cute of Randy to subconsciously paint his bowl the colors of Sulley! Do you think that Sulley painted his bowl purple like Randy? That's a very interesting theory about all of the unrequited love circles! I definitely think that Mike will get quite protective of Celia and tell everyone to back off because she's "his girl". Do you think that Javier and Reggie will ever admit their feelings to one another? They seem to be quite stubborn. Thanks for wishing me good luck with everything in real life! I think that I've found a place to stay for a month, so that's a start! Thanks for reading!**

**jade4563: I'm glad that you liked how Randy painted his bowl blue and purple like Sulley! I guess we know who's on Randy's mind, huh? :P Here's the chapter with the tennis lesson! Hope you like it!**

**Guest: Aw, well, you needn't worry because I promise never to ditch this story even if it takes me a while to get to the updates. That's something that you can count on at least! I'm glad that you liked the chapter, especially the bit with Randall and his bowl! Hehe, I definitely think that you're right to smell trouble! Funk is reaching the breaking point with his jealousy, don't you think? Thanks so much for the kind review!**

**badberry123: Hello again! :) Oh my god, you are definitely not the only one when it comes to art troubles! I can't shape clay to save my life! Art was a disaster for me ever since I started elementary school. Funk is not so happy about Celia and Sulley crushing on Randall. I bet you that he's just seething inwardly whenever he sees Randall blush around Sulley! That's a good prediction that it will get to the point where he can't handle it and he'll end up lashing out at Randall or Sulley or both of them. Who do you think that it will be? And yeah, good point about that tutoring lesson! Although it probably won't go fabulously, at least it's just a half hour, right? Thank you for commenting!**

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**Chapter XXXXII  
**

After art class, I have about an hour before I'm supposed to meet up with Wazowski at the tennis courts. As time goes on, the more I find myself dreading the stupid tutoring session. This is all Ms. Stanley's fault. It seems like she was out to get me from the start. I know that I sound paranoid, but the teacher only watched me miss hitting one ball before she immediately stuck me with tutoring sessions given by a certain lime green someone. Irony, you say? I think not. Some teachers like you and some teachers hate you. That's just part of life. Guess I've gotten my fair share of each with Professor Knight being my easiest teacher and Ms. Stanley obviously being my hardest teacher.

As soon as art finishes, I make my way straight toward the nearest bathroom and then to the nearest sink from there. I end up running my hands under ice cold water and then scrub them raw until every little bit of clay has been washed off of my scales. Next, I take the elevator up to the fifth floor and drop by my dorm room to dump my arithmetic textbook and notepad onto my desk. Since I still have a little more time before six, I decide to work on my homework. I only get through two more subtraction problems before supposing that I should stop procrastinating and go get this tennis tutoring session over with. As I cross the room, I try to convince myself that it won't be so horrible. After all, the class is only gonna be a half hour. How bad can it be, right?

At this time of day, it's easy to travel through the immense university because everyone seems to be traveling down to the first floor where both the gym and the cafeteria are. Most monsters are going to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I'm probably the only one going to the gym. I grumble to myself, wishing that I was one of the monsters going to the cafeteria and not the gym.

Finally, I reach the locker room and grudgingly kick the door to it open before scuttling inside. Just as I suspected, hardly anyone is present in the locker room. Even from here, I can hear the sound of distant babble coming from the lunchroom. Face contorting, I trudge out of the locker room to the gym, wondering if Wazowski will already be there waiting for me or if he'd find it funny to arrive at the gym twenty or thirty minutes late.

Surprisingly enough, the green eyeball is already in the gym when I exit the locker room. What surprises me more is the fact that he's not alone. A shaggy blue monster is lifting weights from one corner of the gym while Wazowski yammers on and on about something Sullivan doesn't seem particularly interested in. Instead of approaching the two, I stay where I am and watch the two roommates for a few moments. Sullivan is lifting a seventy pound weight as if it's as light as a feather. Looking down at my stick-like arms, I feel a wave of jealousy. Sullivan will always be stronger than me no matter what I do. He'll always have the upper hand in certain situations when it comes to scaring.

Not wanting to get caught staring, which will inevitably happen if I push my luck for too long, I start off across the green felt floor of the gym in Sullivan's and Wazowski's direction. Sullivan has traded his seventy pound weight in for an even heavier one. Once again, he manages to lift it without even breaking a sweat. I try to hide the incredulity written all over my face. Wazowski is still blabbing a mile a minute and it ends up being the shaggy turquoise monster working out who happens to notice me first.

"Hey Mikey, I think that Randall is ready for you," Sullivan says, probably grateful for a reason to divert Wazowski's attention away from himself. Can't say that I blame him.

"Oh, hey Randall," Wazowski says, turning from Sullivan to face me. His voice is fairly even and there aren't any traces of sarcasm on his face…yet. The two-faced cretin always tries to watch his mouth around Sullivan. I guess he's aware of the consequences that could follow if he happened to upset someone with Sullivan's size and strength. Going on, Wazowski says, "It's raining outside, so I thought that we could just practice our tennis stuff in here today. There's a net on the other side of the room that we can use to hit the ball over."

I didn't realize that it was raining out until now, but rain doesn't exactly faze me. In fact, being a reptile, I actually like rain. Raising an eyebrow at the green eyeball, I ask, "Why? You afraid of getting wet?"

For some reason, my question attracts Sullivan's attention. I notice the polka dotted monster glance over at me from out of the corner of his eye, a twinkle of amusement visible there. Unaware that there could be a double meaning to my question, Wazowski turns on me and frowns, "I most certainly am not! I just don't like thunderstorms and it just so happens to be thundering out. See, there was this time when I was really little and lightning actually struck my house! The fire alarm went off and-"

"Your childhood stories sound extremely fascinating, but I have homework to finish and studying to do. Let's just cut to the chase and get this over with," I tell Wazowski, not in any mood to sit around and listen to the lime green cyclops go on and on about things I could care less about.

"Okay, okay, Mr. Bossy. Follow me. I already have our tennis rackets and the ball set up," Wazowski tells me, starting toward the opposite side of the gym before turning and calling over his shoulder to Sullivan, "Hey Sulley, wait for me before you head back up to our room, okay?"

"Sure, Mikey," Sullivan replies in that smooth, low voice of his that sounds so much more masculine than Wazowski's higher-pitched, almost juvenile sounding voice.

I trail after Wazowski and glance up at the clock hanging on the wall to my right. It says that it's six 'o clock on the button right now. By the time six-thirty comes around, I am getting the hell out of here regardless of whether or not my tennis skills have improved. Wazowski leads me over to the net, which I suddenly realize isn't a net at all – it's a ping pong table.

Giving the egg-shaped monster a dubious look, I hold up a webbed hand and say, "Wait a minute. You're actually suggesting that we play tennis over a ping pong table instead of using a real tennis court?"

"Yeah, it will work as a substitute net for today. Just don't run into the table," Wazowski says, his voice indicating that he actually wouldn't mind it so much if I did happen to run into the table. Before I can pick up my racket, Wazowski grabs his racket and the ball, asking, "Ready?"

Before I can reply, Wazowski sends the ball flying over the ping pong table straight toward me. I'm obviously not ready to start since I haven't even picked up my tennis racket yet, but Wazowski doesn't care about that. This supposed tutoring lesson is probably just another opportunity for him to humiliate me even more than usual. The ball hits me smack in the forehead and bounces to the ground.

"I think that it was more than obvious that I was not ready," I emphasis my last two words as I bend down to pick up the ball. "The least you can do is play fair, Wazowski."

"I do play fair," the eyeball replies earnestly.

I don't believe that Wazowski plays fair for a moment, but I decide not to press the subject. It's my turn to serve, so I serve and send the ball flying over the net. As much as I hate to admit it, Wazowski is actually a pretty good tennis player. He dives to his left and gracefully sends the ball flying back toward me. I'm forced to leap sideways to hit it, but somehow or the other, I manage to send it back over the net. Wazowski seems to finally notice that I'm not as bad of a tennis player as he thinks that I am. Our tennis match intensifies and both of our faces harden in concentration. Beads of sweat break out across my forehead as I turn my body this way and that to keep the ball over on Wazowski's side of the net. Thick, tense silence forms between the two of us. Neither monster wants to be the first to drop the ball.

Unfortunately, even though I'm not a bad tennis player, Wazowski's skills pay off. He sends the ball far off to my left. It hits the wall and ricochets off of it at an odd angle. I attempt to jump into the air and swipe my racket at it, but the ball is soaring far over my head. In fact, it makes its way all the way over to Sullivan's side of the gym. I glower while Wazowski gloats.

"I won! Awesome! I'm going to ace the great scare games at the end of the year and graduate from the school as the year's best scarer," Wazowski boasts proudly, chest puffing up at his words.

Sullivan retrieves the ball from his side of the gym and flings it back over toward us. Wazowski catches it with ease while I wipe sticky sweat from my brow and mutter under my breath, "Keep dreaming, Wazowski."

"Wait, you're actually telling me to keep dreaming?" Wazowski asks in utter shock. I can already tell that I've earned myself a sarcastic comeback because the cretin's face quickly breaks into a snide smile as he adds, "Because I'd think that you'd want to be telling yourself that. Your fraternity is never going to win the scare games against the fraternity Sullivan and I are leading."

"Look, I really don't give a damn about the scare games right now," I point out in exasperation, the swear word slipping out of my mouth on accident. Wazowski looks a little surprised at my language, but doesn't say anything. Maybe no swearing isn't a school rule. Who knows? Deciding that it doesn't matter one way or the other, I tap my foot irritably on the ground and continue on, "The only thing I care about right now is getting this stupid tutoring lesson over with. I think that it's obvious that I'm not as terrible at tennis as Ms. Stanley thinks I am."

"Yeah, I guess, but you still lost to me," Wazowski points out, that annoying smirk crossing his face again.

I grit my teeth together and am partially glad for Sullivan's presence in the gym or else I might have been tempted to act on impulse and strangle the pea green bastard who refuses to shut up. Trying to keep my voice under control, I point out, "If we were playing tennis the proper way, meaning outside, there wouldn't have been a wall for the ball to hit and bounce off of, so I would have been able to pass it back to you."

"Yeah, well, anyway…" Wazowski shrugs, clearly not caring if he plays by the rules or not. I clench my fists together and wait to see what the eyeball is going to want me to do next. Apparently, he's not up to the challenge of facing me at another round of tennis because his next words are, "Let's work on better ways to hit the ball. You hold your arm at such an awkward angle that it's a surprise you manage to hit it at all."

"Spare me the insults," I reply tonelessly. "How exactly do you want me to hold my arm?"

"Um, I think that it would be easier for me to show you than to tell you," Wazowski says, striding over to me from around the ping pong table. I repress a groan. Playing tennis with Wazowski is one thing, but allowing him to maneuver my body this way and that is another thing altogether.

I work on going limp and making my limbs flexible as Wazowski takes my arm holding the tennis racket and starts adjusting it this way and that. I mostly ignore what Wazowski is doing and focus on Sullivan instead. My eyes practically bug out as I notice the size of the weights he's daring to lift now. They're enormous! Is it even safe to try and lift weights that heavy? I completely forget about Wazowski molding my arm to the "proper angle" and watch in fascination while Sullivan eyes his biggest weight yet with determination written all over his face. He leans down and grips the weight between his furry hands with the sharp black claws at the tips of them. At first, nothing happens. Guess this weight is too much even for the impregnable Sullivan.

…Wait, maybe not. Did I just see the weight lift an inch off of the ground? I squint my eyes in Sullivan's direction and note that it did indeed just leave the ground. Face intense and fur soaked with sweat, Sullivan continues raising the ginormous weight into the air. When he lifts it over his head, I'm just about blown away. I didn't know that it was possible for a monster to lift a weight so heavy.

"That should do it," Wazowski says, bringing my concentration back to the subject at hand. I blink and look over at him, completely forgetting what we're working on. The eyeball sighs in annoyance, clearly able to tell that I haven't been paying any attention to what he's been doing. Pointing an accusatory finger in my face, Wazowski asks, "You aren't thinking about Celia, aren't you? She and I are already way deep down inside the love boat. The bond we share is that of true love."

This time, I really do roll my eyes at Wazowski's definition of love. It sounds so cheesy, like something you'd read out of a corny fairy tale. Shaking my head to get him to shut up, I reply, "No, I wasn't thinking about Celia. I was just thinking about…never mind. So you want me to hit the ball like this, huh?"

"Yeah, give it a shot. I'm going to throw the ball at you and you hit it without adjusting the position of your arm, okay?" Wazowski says, taking on the bossiness of a teacher.

I nod shortly, not liking to be ordered around. However, I do exactly as Wazowski tells me to do since there are only five more minutes until six-thirty. Then I can escape the gym and get to the important things that really matter like homework and studying.

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_Review please! :) Also, I think that I should be able to get more constant wi-fi, so you can start expecting more regular updates from me! :D  
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	44. Chapter XXXXIII

**honorstudent97: Aw, thank you so much! *hugs* I wouldn't say that I have 100% peace of mind, but I feel like I've just discovered the meaning of freedom for the first time, you know? Don't worry; I promise to never stop writing as long as you promise to never stop reading!**

**Remy: Hiya! *waves* It's always good when it's the weekend, isn't it? I'll try to update at night around the same time everyday if I can. I'm really happy about having wi-fi now too! As sad as it is, I can barely survive without the internet. Are you the same way? Hehe, I know exactly what you mean about hoping for a RandallxSulley scene. This chapter has a little interaction between the two. Hope you like it!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Thanks so much for the congratulations on my new place! It's nice to have finally found somewhere with wi-fi! Hope you like this next chapter! There's a little RandallxSulley in it! :D  
**

**Tealeaf: No worries - there will definitely be a kiss soon! I take it that you're ready for the romance to start? :P  
**

**James95: I'm really glad to hear that you liked the chapter! I'm totally with you about RandallxSulley making a better ship than RandallxFunk because the chemistry is clearly there. So do you think that Randall is attracted to Sulley but that Sulley doesn't return his affections? Thanks for the comment!  
**

**Mysterious: *glomps you back* I'm so glad that you're excited over the daily updates! :D I did look at your villains list and I think that it's awesome! Can I just say that I fricking LOVE Scourge? Oh god, what is so sexy about that hedgehog? I've been tempted to write ScourgexFiona or ScourgexManic a few times (hope you know who I'm talking about xP). I actually did write a rather long Sonic fanfic once. Thanks for liking the chappie!  
**

**Mickfang27: I'm with you there - go Sulley! I'd like to watch a guy like him lift weights too, hehe. Actually, I'd just love to watch Johnny lift weights. I'd probably pass out from watching that. And I know, right? A ping pong table is nothing like a tennis court. Mike is not the brightest bulb ever, is he? Let's hope that Randall can prove to Mike that he's a good tennis player in this chapter! Thanks for hoping that I find a job soon! I'm crossing my fingers that I find one shortly as well. Thanks for the support!  
**

**jade4563: I'm totally with you on the wi-fi! I practically cried from happiness when I realized that my new place has wi-fi! *parties* There will be lots of Randall/Sulley moments coming up, so keep checking for updates! Mike can be so stupid sometimes. I mean, who mixes up a ping pong table and a tennis court? =/ It is like a crazy love triangle between Celia, Mike, and Randall right now! Thanks for reading!  
**

**badberry123: Hey there! Thanks for the support on my situation! I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am to have wi-fi back! Honestly, I can't paint, sculpt, draw, or do anything artistic at all. I couldn't do art even if I had the best art teacher in the world. xD Hm, those are very good predictions! You're right in thinking that Funk won't lash out at Celia. He doesn't seem to care much about her one way or the other. If Funk does reach a breaking point, I see him taking his anger out on Sulley. ;) I'm glad to hear that you liked the last chapter so much! Good thought about whether or not it was even raining. Mike seems like the type who would just want to humiliate Randall. *facepalms* Hehe, nobody can blame Randall for getting turned on. I wish that I could watch Johnny lift weights. xD Let's hope that Randall gets to spend more time with Sulley soon! *crosses fingers* Hope you like this chapter!  
**

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**Chapter XXXXIII  
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Wazowski picks up the ball and sends it flying in my direction. I do exactly what he tells me to do and hit the ball without changing the position of my arm. The effect is terrible. The ball barely bounces off of my racket and lands a few inches away from my foot.

"Nice going with that one, Wazowski," I jeer sardonically. "Looks like this 'new arm position' idea of yours really works magic."

"It normally works. You're just not hitting the ball right. Let's try again," Wazowski says, hustling back over to me and bending my arm into the "ideal position" yet again.

Since the eyeball is distracted, I turn toward Sullivan. He's ditched the weights for today and is now on the mats. He's doing frantic push-ups at the rate of thirty or more a minute. The shaggy beast is extremely strong, that's for sure. I feel like I need an icy glass of lemonade and a freezing cold shower just from watching him.

Eventually, Wazowski gets my arm where he wants it and I attempt to hit the ball all over again. Turns out that Wazowski's strategy really isn't working. This time, the ball doesn't even make it a few inches away from me. All it does is deflect off of my tennis racket and land directly onto my foot. Wazowski mutters something again about me not hitting the ball properly and bustles over to fix the problem.

Glancing at the clock, I realize that I only have one more minute of this humiliation left. Thank god for that. As Wazowski tries to twist my arm around again, I turn to narrow my eyes at him and ask in a suddenly suspicious voice, "Hey, are you trying to mess me up more or something with this?"

Wazowski's cheeks turn a shade of pale orange, a blush on his typically green skin. He resolutely avoids my gaze and says, "Of course not. Why would I ever do a thing like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you've hated my guts since the moment we met?" I reply sarcastically, wishing that my remaining thirty seconds here would hurry up before I go insane. I'm pretty sure that Wazowski is just trying to mess me up at this point. Now that he's seen that I'm a fairly decent tennis player, he wants to make sure that he's still better than me. Pathetic, yes, but definitely something that the one-eyed cretin would do.

Wazowski ignores my last comment and twists my arm almost painfully into the position he wants It in before he steps backward and observes the angle of my elbow. The cyclops nods and says as if to himself, "That should do it."

I send Wazowski a dubious look out of the corner of my eye, not exactly sure what he's up to. I'm pretty sure that he has some ulterior motive to having me try to hit the ball at this odd angle. My arm is stiff just from holding my elbow up. Giving the eyeball a murderous look, I hold my racket and glance toward the clock one more time. Only fifteen more seconds until six-thirty. After that, I can drop the racket and get the hell away from Wazowski and all of this tennis nonsense.

Just as Wazowski starts to step away from me to fetch the ball to throw in my direction, the sound of a throat clearing sounds from behind us. Glancing upward, I find Sullivan standing between the two of us, fur still damp from the sweat of working out. Despite the sweat, he has a sort of a musky scent to him that I can't quite identify. It's almost exotic, definitely not a scent that you smell every day.

"Mike, you aren't really trying to get Randall to hit the ball like this, are you?" Sullivan asks Wazowski, raising an eyebrow at his lime green roommate. Wazowski starts stammering, a sure sign that foul play is going on here. Sullivan goes on, "Randall could hurt his arm trying to hit the ball like this! Here, let me help."

"Wazowski…!" I mutter under my breath, glaring daggers at the egg-shaped monster stumbling backward across the gym floor from me. I knew that something fishy was going on. Turns out that Wazowski's goal was to injure me by making me try to hit the ball with my arm tied up in knots. Great plan…or not.

My sharp burst of anger quickly fizzles out as Sullivan moves behind me to adjust my arm to an angle more proper for hitting the ball. A strange shudder ripples down my spine at having the turquoise monster behind me. I feel like my nerves endings are ten times more sensitive than usual as Sullivan leans down and carefully moves my arm closer to my body in a more comfortable position. I'm all too aware of his touch against my scales like fire against ice. The shock from his touch sends spasms through me. I wonder if I'm the only one feeling this way or if Sullivan can feel it too. I'm about to risk a glance over my shoulder at him when he calls out to the one-eyed cretin inconspicuously scuttling backward as if thinking that he's going to escape the gym and thus my wrath.

"Hey Mikey, do us a favor and throw Randall the ball, won't you?" Sullivan calls out, warm palm still pressed against my scales, slightly shiny from a thin sheen of sweat that suddenly appeared all over my body. Funny thing is that I'm not even working out at the moment.

Caught trying to escape the gym, Wazowski comes to a halt and resignedly tosses the ball in my direction. Sullivan lets go of my arm and steps aside to give me room to try and hit the ball. Wazowski threw it hard. The ball is flying through the air at a rapid speed. I judge the distance between the target and my racket. For some reason, I feel as if a lot is at stake with this single pass. I want to impress Sullivan, I suppose.

Luckily, my racket makes contact with the ball and sends it flying back in Wazowski's direction. The pea green monster's mouth falls open in shock as the ball hits the opposite side of the room. Sullivan applauds and I smirk smugly in Wazowski's direction. Blushing furiously at his ulterior motive having been so humiliatingly revealed, Wazowski scurries off to pick up the ball and then tosses it in a random crate in one of the corners of the gym, saying, "Well, uh, I guess that our tutoring time for today is up! I'll just, um, let you two take showers or whatever. See you in the dorm later, Sulley! Remember that we have a secret meeting at eight. Don't miss it."

"I know, Mikey. I'll be there," Sullivan says, allowing the smaller monster to zip through the locker room door and disappear from view. If the shaggy blue monster wasn't standing next to me, I would have been tempted to follow the egg-shaped monster and shake some sense into him. As I'm considering this, Sullivan turns to me and flashes me his polished smile, murmuring, "Nice hit! That was impressive."

"Not so impressive," I contradict. "I bet you could've hit the ball twice as far."

Sullivan doesn't reply to this, so I assume that my guess is somewhere in the right ballpark. With his toned muscles and tall build, Sullivan is bound to be good at any sport he decides to play. Shrugging his shoulders modestly, Sullivan says, "I actually don't like tennis much. I prefer other sports to it. Anyway, I think that I'm done working out for today. My muscles could use a break. How about you?"

"Believe me, I'm getting out of here too," I reply ruefully, taking a step toward the locker room doors. "I wouldn't even have been here tonight if it wasn't for Ms. Stanley. Say, do you think Wazowski was trying to put me in the hospital wing for the next few weeks or what? I knew that he had a trick of some sort up his sleeve."

"I tried talking to Mike about being nicer to you, but I guess that it didn't work," Sullivan admits. I snort in response to his statement. Yes, apparently it did not work considering the fact that Wazowski tried to injure me today. We approach the locker room door and Sullivan heaves it open for me, waiting for me to exit the gym first.

Stepping off of the green felt flooring and onto the tiles in the locker room, I glance over my shoulder at Sullivan and ask him curiously, "So you're having a secret meeting tonight, huh? Didn't realize that you and Wazowski have gotten so close."

"It's not just a meeting between Mike and me," Sullivan explains as we round the corner and face the showers. I wasn't originally going to take a shower, but Sullivan is adjusting the head to one of the showers and I figure that I might as well run under the shower real quick as well. I don't like being dirty or sweaty for that matter. As I adjust the nozzle to the shower adjacent to Sullivan's, the turquoise monster continues on, "It's a meeting regarding the great scare games. Mike and I are doing everything to prepare our fraternity for it."

"Oh, right. Wazowski won't shut up about the games," I admit a little dryly as Sullivan steps under the spray of his shower. I adjust the temperature of mine and then take a step backward so the cool water washes the sweat away from my body and dribbles down my scales in sparkling droplets.

"Have you joined a fraternity yet?" Sullivan asks, grabbing a bar of soap and using it to scrub himself quickly. I watch the monster a little too intently as he works, admiring the way his sleek turquoise fur gleams under the combination of hot water and soap.

"Nah, not yet. You know me, working together with a bunch of other monsters in a group ain't really my thing," I tell Sullivan truthfully, picking up a bar of soap as well and using it to scrub delicate circles over my scales. "We still on for Friday night?"

"Of course. I told you that I wouldn't change my mind about it," Sullivan says, giving me a I-told-you-so look before blinking and doing a double take. At first I'm about to ask Sullivan what he's looking at, but it's more than apparent what he's looking at. Me.

Noting the way Sullivan's azure gaze focuses in on the circular motion of the soap traveling over my scales, I put a little more effort into washing and scrub down my chest, over my belly, and stop around that area. Sullivan's eyes continue to linger on the soap as I tilt my head back and push my fronds away from my face, closing my eyes and making a little noise of satisfaction as the warm water runs over my body and washes the iridescent soap bubbles away. When I dare to glance at Sullivan out of the corner of my eye, he's still looking at me as if entranced. It's curious how we're both so interested in one another's bodies. I suppose that it has to do with the fact that our physiques are opposite. Or, well, I like to think that's the reason behind it anyway.

I'm not sure what exactly comes over me, but there's suddenly something that I need to know. Dropping my sensual scrubbing for a moment, I look Sullivan in the eye and start out as casually as possible, "Have you seen Wazowski and Celia yet? He seems pretty obsessed with her. I feel sorry for the poor girl. He'll probably never leave her alone."

"That's Mike for you alright," Sullivan says, setting his bar of soap aside and turning off his shower, causing me to do the same. Dripping wet and shivering, the two of us pitter patter across the locker room toward the bin of towels on the opposite side of the room. Sullivan tugs one out and throws it to me before taking one for himself and adding, "Celia had better learn to like Mike because I doubt she'll be getting rid of him anytime soon."

"Something tells me that you're right," I reply ruefully, even though I could really care less about Wazowski's relationship status. I use the topic to segue into a related one, raising a curious eyebrow at Sullivan as I ask as we're talking about something as simple and uncomplicated as the weather, "What about you? Have you found any chicks you like in this place yet?"

Sullivan buries his face in his towel and shakes his head, spraying little droplets of water every which way as he does so, replying, "Nope. I'm not on a girl hunt right now. I've got the fraternity to try and manage, my grades to keep up, and homework to do. Besides, none of the girls have really caught my attention yet." There's a short pause before Sullivan flicks his eyes in my direction and asks, "What about you?"

"Girls don't do much for me," I shrug, feeling somewhat relieved that there isn't a special someone who's gonna end up trailing Sullivan around the way Wazowski follows Celia around. Feeling like I should say a little more, I go on, "Besides, there's homework, studying, and grades to keep up like you said."

Sullivan nods and a short silence falls between us as I work on drying off my scales. Once finished with the drying, I discard my towel and admire the way my scales gleam under the light. I wouldn't normally have taken a shower under the circumstances, but now I'm glad that I did. I feel cleaner and getting to chat with Sullivan was worth it. However, now that we're both clean and dry, there's really no need for us to continue hanging out together. I hesitate, supposing that the homework in my dorm is probably calling my name right now.

"Well, I guess I'd better go back to the dorm and prepare for the fraternity meeting. Mike likes to think that he's in charge of the whole thing, but I'm the one who has to do all of the actual work," Sullivan says, rolling his eyes good naturedly. "I'll probably see you around the school a bit before Friday."

"Yeah, probably," I say, stepping toward the locker room door as I realize that it's time for me to leave. "Catch you later. Good luck with that meeting of yours." As I open the door to the locker room with a loud creak, I look over my shoulder and find a surprised look on Sullivan's face. Pausing, I ask, "What?"

"Nothing really. I'm just surprised that you're telling me good luck, that's all," Sullivan replies. "I thought that we were supposed to be rivals and all of that."

"Whoever said that?" I retort, cocking an eyebrow and thinking that my answer is a smart one until I hear Sullivan's reply

"You did, remember? We're not supposed to be friends, only possible 'acquaintances'. Hopefully, I've met the acquaintance standard by now," Sullivan replies, his voice grim even though his eyes twinkle with amusement.

"Eh, well, things change. Like I said, I'm not all that concerned with the scare games. They're just some stupid games that are probably going to be judged on sports, not true scaring talent," I reply, not bothering to hide the disdain for the event in my voice before I hesitate and add, "You've reached the acquaintance level in my book."

"Phew, I was getting worried about that," Sullivan sighs with relief, wiping his brow in sarcasm. We both smile a little at his comment before Sullivan glances at the clock and says, "Gee, I really do have to get going. See you around, Randall. Good luck with your studying or whatever it Is you're going to do next."

"Thanks," I reply, watching the sleek polka-dotted monster disappear from the locker room out into the hallway.

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_Review please! :)  
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	45. Chapter XXXXIV

**honorstudent97: You'll have to let me know what you think of freedom! It's an amazing feeling, believe me! There's nothing better. And yay, I'm glad to hear that you won't stop reading this! *high fives you* Hehe, I think that we'd get a lot of weird looks if we shared slash fics with our friends, don't you think? :P  
**

**Remy: Oh god, I think that we're the exact same way regarding wi-fi! Me trying to survive without wi-fi is a major disaster. I just don't know what to do with myself when I don't have it, you know? I'm so glad that the last chapter was what you were hoping for. Boggivan is a lot of fun to say, isn't it? I like saying it as well, so no need to apologize. Thanks for wishing me well in life and I hope that you like this next chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: I'm really glad to hear that you're excited for the next chapter! Here it is! I hope that it's not a disappointment. *crosses fingers*  
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**Anna Sparkles: I'm really sorry about not answering your questions from before! I had limited wi-fi on those days. Would you mind re-asking me the questions? I'm not sure if I can find them again - sorry! I'm glad to hear that you're still reading this though! *hugs*  
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**jade4563: Hehe, Sulley does have a thing for Randall and I'm with you 100%! Who wouldn't ogle over Randall in the shower? ...Sorry if that sounded creepy. :P Hope you like this next chapter!**

**Rinnzler: Aw, I'm sorry that you don't like my interpretation of Mike. I will admit that it is a little on the biased side since I'm not much of a Mike fan myself, so sorry about that! Is he your favorite character? I'm glad that you're still enjoying the story though! Hope you keep reading it!**

**James95: Thanks so much for loving the chapter! We definitely know who would be the better pitcher now, yeah. *nods* That's a good point about Sulley and Randall. It definitely seems as if they both have feelings for one another even if they're not sure how to express those feelings yet. Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**Mysterious: Omg, you were sleepwalking? :P Have you done that before? I don't think that I've ever done that before! And yeah, those shades of Scourge's are pretty sexy. Can someone please tell me why he's not in any of the games and just in the comics though? He deserves to be in all of the games! But anyway, do you have any favorite Scourge pairings? You're making me really want to write a Scourge fic! My favorite Scourge pairings are ScourgexFiona Fox, ScourgexManic, and ScourgexSonic. Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Hehe, I'm with you there! It is kind of funny picturing Randall trying to act sensual. I think that he's better at it than Sulley though. What do you think? :P Hope you like this chapter!**

**Mickfang27: Oh god, I have so many mental images of Johnny in the shower going through my head right now! I think that I know exactly where I'd be looking at him if I was watching him shower. *smirks* But yeah, I'm with you on Mike! Let's throw him in the shredder together if he keeps picking on Randall, alright? Hehe, love the Roz quote that you used there. That was funny. Thanks again for hoping that I get a job soon. I'm not having too much luck on it yet unfortunately. I know exactly what you mean about real life friends though. It's definitely nice to have a few real life friends. It would be awesome if we could meet in person someday! :)  
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**Pig of Guinea: D'awww, you really like my writing that much? You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that! I'm not a big fan of stories where the main characters jump into a relationship by chapter two or three. I prefer longer stories. I take it that you're the same way? :) Also, I'm just sort of curious, but are you a fan of Randall or Sulley or both characters? Thanks for the comment!  
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**badberry123: I'm really glad to hear that you liked the last chapter so much! I can picture the smirk on Randall's face after he hit the tennis ball too. I love his smirk from MI, don't you? But anyway, yeah, Mike pretty much does try to make hell for Randall each time they have a tutoring session. *facepalms* The shower scene was my favorite part of the last chapter to write! I think that both guys would look pretty good under the shower, haha. Ooo, good question about Randall regarding the scare games! Let's just say that he sort of gets press-ganged into joining a fraternity (unlike with what happened with him in the movie). I'm still pissed off about how he joined ROR just to be with the "cool kids" and all that. =/ Thanks for reading this!  
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**Chapter XXXXIV  
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I stand in the locker room by myself for a few moments, trying to work a few things out. Finally, I decide to stop denying what's clear to anyone; I'm attracted to Sullivan. It may be wrong and screwed up, but I can't suppress my feelings for him anymore. There was a sort of mutual attraction that immediately sparked up between us the day we first met. Of course, just because I've admitted my feelings for my scaring rival to myself does not mean that I'll be telling him about them anytime soon. Hell, no. I'll probably never admit my feelings for him, which is a damn good thing. Some dark secrets are meant to stay in the dark and this is clearly one of them.

I leave the locker room and trail up the stairs to my dorm room, not bothering to use the elevator for once. I allow myself to get swallowed up in the mass of monsters moving up the staircase and eventually arrive at the fifth floor. Once I reach my dorm room, I work on my arithmetic homework for a while, but end up calling it quits for the night after only a half hour. Unable to concentrate on much, I set my alarm and then tuck myself neatly into bed before one-eyed Doom can invade my privacy and haunt my dreams.

Tonight is the first night that I dream of Sullivan. I've always been dream prone. I suppose that it's something that my mother passed down to me. She has quite the imagination and creative mind although I'm afraid that "creativity" could be related to schizophrenia at this point. Anyway, in my dream regarding Sullivan, he's my roommate, not Wazowski's. The little cretin and Doom share a room instead. It only makes sense that they should share a room. After all, they're both one-eyed. Well, maybe there's not much logic behind that, but Sullivan and I have better chemistry than Sullivan and Wazowski have. In my dream, we were happy, which is saying a lot for me. Satisfied and smug are emotions I feel on a day to day basis, but happiness evades me for weeks at a time.

My dream is interrupted the next morning by my alarm clock blaring incessantly in my ear. Groaning, I reach over to my nightstand and am careful not to knock my glasses off of it while I fumble around for the "off" button on my clock. I must be more tired than usual this morning because I have to endure an entire minute of irritating beeping before I manage to turn the alarm clock off. After that, I stretch, open my eyes, and find myself alone in the bedroom. I can't help but wonder if Doom never came to the dorm last night. I suppose that it's none of my business either way. The drama concerning Charlie's death has died down and no other sorts of drama have ensued since then.

Tuesdays are my favorite and least favorite day of the week. They're my favorite because I have my scaring class in the afternoons. They're my least favorite because I have history in the mornings. My lips form a tight line as I roll out of bed and scuttle over to my desk to find my history book. I set my alarm a few minutes later this morning, intending to skip breakfast and go straight to the history classroom instead. Sometimes sleep is more important than food. Yawning, I dig through my pile of books before finding the one I'm looking for. It already has a crease in the binding and looks worn. I bought most of my books for class used because mother and I never have extra money to spare. Hell, we're barely able to pay the bills most of the time.

I flinch as my mind turns to my mother and I immediately try to think of something else. My mind is slow in the morning and all I can think about is history class from the previous week when Mrs. Mason ordered Wazowski and I to work as partners. I sure hope that this week is not a repeat of last week.

Book tucked safely under my arm and eyes bloodshot and half-closed, I stumble out of my bedroom and start down the hall toward the elevator. I take the quickest route to the history classroom possible and arrive at it when most of the desks are still empty. Making an effort to steer clear of Wazowski's desk, I sit in the far back corner of the room and wait for class to start. I must not have slept well last night due to my unwanted dreams because my eyelids grow heavy and fall shut while I wait for class to begin.

"Hi Randy!" a familiar cheerful voice cuts into my thoughts. "How are you?"

I recognize Fungus' voice from the bleary place I've reached somewhere inside my head. Feeling as if I'm still walking in a dream, I fight through the thick fog and glance over at Funk through half-opened eyes, muttering, "Tired. What about you?" I look the speckled reptile up and down before smirking and adding, "Again with the hat, I see."

"Um, y-yes," Fungus stammers, looking nervous at my words. Funny thing is that he always acts nervous whenever I bring up the subject of his periwinkle blue hat. There must be a reason behind his anxiety. Does he get flustered when I mention the hat because he's embarrassed of it? Nah, that wouldn't make sense because he wouldn't wear it if he was embarrassed by it. Fungus continues on, interrupting my thought process, "I'm fine, I suppose. How did your tennis tutoring session with Wazowski go last night?"

"Like a dream," I reply sarcastically, rolling my eyes at Fungus' question. "Turns out that the little bastard spent the entire tutoring lesson trying to teach me ways to hit the ball that would result in me eventually injuring my arm. Good thing Sullivan was around to figure out what he was doing."

Fungus frowns and points out, "I don't like either of them. I wish that Ms. Stanley hadn't ordered you to take these tutoring lessons. Perhaps you should speak to her about them?"

"Nah, I can't. If I do that, I'll look like I'm complaining and then she won't want to give me a good grade at the end of the year. You know how teachers are; they always hold grudges," I admit, rolling my eyes before I go on, "Let's just hope that next time he tutors me on a sport a little less injury prone like running."

"Ahem. May I have your attention please?" a female voice sounds from the front of the room.

Fungus and I immediately stop our conversation and glance toward the front of the classroom. Mrs. Jones is standing there, looking out over all of us with her lips turned downward. She's displeased about something although I'm not sure what it is. The classroom has filled up since Fungus and I stared talking and now every desk save for one is occupied.

"Good morning, class. I would like you all to return to the desks you were sitting at last week. It makes things easier for me. Please take this time to switch desks now," Mrs. Mason orders us.

A loud groan echoes throughout the classroom as monsters reluctantly pull themselves out of their chairs and pick up their school supplies before lugging it over to the desks they sat at last week. Fungus and I exchange equally dismal looks as we stand up resignedly to go and find our desks from last week. Mine, unfortunately, is right next to Wazowski's desk. At this point, all I can do is hope that Mrs. Mason has the sense not to partner us up again.

After a long few minutes of desk changing, the class finally settles down. Mrs. Mason smiles at us, clearly pleased at this new arrangement as she says, "There now, isn't that better?" Nobody says anything. Deciding that maybe she doesn't want to hear our opinions on the new seating arrangement after all, Mrs. Mason hurries on, "Today, you will be reading chapter two out of your textbook. Yes, I know what you are thinking. As unfortunate as it is, history is just one of those subjects that has to be learned and there isn't really a way to make it interesting. However, to spice things up a bit, I'd like to read with your same partner as last week. You read one paragraph and then hand the book to your partner. Whatever you don't end up reading during class can count as homework. Does everyone understand?"

A murmur of mutual consent sounds from around the room. I have a hard time restraining an audible groan. I am not in the mood to work with Wazowski today, but it looks as if I'm gonna have to deal with the little cretin whether I want to or not. Oh well, I suppose that at least he can't try and kill me by reading a history book with me unlike with the tutoring experience still fresh in my mind from yesterday.

Turning slightly in my chair, I give Wazowski a shredding look. The egg-shaped monster visibly gulps and decides to be on better behavior around me since it's obvious that I found out his true intentions behind the tennis tutoring lessons.

"Hello Randall, ol' pal," Wazowski starts out hesitantly, attempting to make amends with me. "Want to start with the reading or do you want me to?"

"Really, Wazowski? 'Randall, ol' pal'? What the hell is that supposed to be? Don't play cute with me. You don't like me any more than you did yesterday, meaning that you like me as much as the squashed gum under your foot," I point out snappily, causing Wazowski to lift his foot only to find that he does indeed have a piece of chewed bubble gum plastered to the sole of his foot. I shove his history book toward him and mutter, "I think that you deserve to read the entire chapter. You start."

It's clear that I make Wazowski nervous by the way he immediately picks up his history book, finds chapter two, and actually starts reading aloud from it unlike last week. I open my notebook, pick up my pencil, and begin scratching notes as Wazowski reads. Today's history of Monstropolis lesson is on the first settlers of this now very populated town. I can't say that the chapter is interesting, but at least I'm able to keep my mind on it today.

Wazowski finishes his paragraph after reading it at an average pace and then looks toward me. I'm a quick reader, but make sure not to read too fast so Wazowski can still catch what I'm saying. Why am I doing this? I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to cheat in class and intentionally messing up another student seems an awful lot like cheating to me. I finish my paragraph and then glance over at Wazowski. His eyes are focused across the room very far away from me. Damn it, he's already in La La Land and we've just started on the first chapter. So much for him being a better reading partner this week.

"Wazowski, can you at least try and pay attention?" I practically beg the eyeball, wishing that he would get his attention off of whatever is on the opposite side of the room and back onto the textbook page before him. Just to emphasis my point, I lean over to his desk, tap the paragraph he's supposed to be reading and mutter, "You start there."

"Hm," Wazowski murmurs, seemingly deaf to what I've just said. I stare at him in confusion, trying to figure out what's wrong with the smaller monster until I figure out what he's looking at. Oh. Everything makes a lot more sense now. Still staring across the room dreamily, Wazowski asks me, "Do you think that Celia is looking at me?"

"You should know by now that I don't know or care if she's looking at you!" I hiss, completely annoyed at Wazowski's lack of dedication to our current task. If he wants to obsess over Celia in his own time, that's completely fine with me. However, when we're supposed to be working together as a pair, I need his full cooperation so I can end up graduating from this class at the end of the year with an A.

Still not seeming like he's heard anything I've told him, Wazowski continues on in that lovestruck voice of his, "I was thinking about asking her out, you know, before any of the other monsters do. I'm not sure if it's too soon or not, but I think it's worth the risk. I'm thinking about getting her chocolates and flowers and then asking her out. Girls love that sort of thing, don't they?"

At wit's end, I forcibly crane my neck so I'm leaning directly in front of the lime green Ccyclops, baring his view of Celia as I snap, "How the hell would I know? Look, Wazowski, if you don't get your head off of that girl and onto our lesson right now, I will personally call Mrs. Mason over here and inform her that you're not cooperating with the task at hand."

This finally seems to get the green eyeball out of his daze. He frowns at me and says, "Gee, Randall, lighten up, won't you? You heard Mrs. Mason; we can finish our reading as homework later tonight. I might not be able to see Cee later tonight though."

"Cee?" I echo, giving Wazowski a disgusted look. "Do you actually mean to tell me that you have a nickname for her even though she's not even officially your girlfriend yet?"

"There's nothing wrong with the name Cee. It fits her," Wazowski says defensively, giving me a look like I'm the one with a problem here. Deciding to turn the subject on me, Wazowski continues on, "That's what's so weird about you Randall. You don't have any interest in anyone or anything besides for your grades. Isn't there anyone you like here? Anyone at all?"

Wazowski's inquiry causes me to smirk a morbid smile, flashing all seventy-four razor sharp teeth at the one-eyed cyclops. I do, as a matter of fact, happen to like one monster at the university. Wouldn't it just shatter poor little Wazowski's innocent mind to know that I'm attracted to his roommate?

"Er, whoa. That's a scary look you've got there, Randall. No wonder you don't smile too often," Wazowski stammers, looking a bit taken back by the look on my face.

"Well, well, well, what do you know? I'm capable of not only scaring little kids, but little monsters too," I point out, unable to resist the opportunity to mortify Wazowski. Leaning across the aisle toward him, I turn my voice into a deadly low hiss and add, "You'll find out just how scarier I can be if you don't hurry up and get your nose in that book in the next five seconds."

Surprisingly enough, my threat works. Wazowski actually turns toward the wrinkled page of the history textbook lying open in front of him, muttering, "Okay, okay, I'm reading."

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_Review please! :)  
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	46. Chapter XXXXV

**honorstudent97: Oh noes, so your girlfriend didn't want to hear about gay monsters? :P I haven't tried to talk to anyone about them in real life for obvious reasons, haha. I guess that we'll have to keep our fangirling online, huh? xD  
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**Remy: Aw, I'm glad to hear that my story can make you smile like an idiot! My stories are all about trying to make people happy. I hope that your day at school went okay! Hissy, snarky Randall is my favorite Randall as you might have guessed. I love the way he's always trying to put Mike in his place in MI, you know? Also, I hated my history class as well! It was so boring that I always wanted to fall asleep during it. Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: I'm with Mike - I think that Randall can look scary when he tries to look scary! What do you think? Thanks for commenting!  
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**Madxy: Aw, that is such a nice compliment! I'm so glad to hear that you love this story so much. I take it that you're a RandallxSulley shipper then? It won't take long for Randall to admit his feelings to a certain someone at this point. Thanks for reading this!  
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**jade4563: Glad you don't think that I sound like a creep! I say a lot of things online that I should never say in real life, haha. But in all seriousness, I'm happy to hear that you liked the last chapter! Randall threatens Mike a lot in MI, so I sort of borrowed that concept for my story. Thank you so much for the review!  
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**Jinx Conlon: Wow, you and your friends love the story so much that you all read it when you get together? I don't think that I've heard such a nice compliment for a long time! Many thanks to you! Hm, I honestly forget which chapter Sulley's and Randall's first kiss is in. I can tell you that there will be an episode of spin the bottle later in the story though! Hope you like this chapter!  
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**James95: I agree with you there - Randall is finally taking a step in the right direction anyway. How long do you think that it will take him before he admits his feelings to Sulley? I also pull random smiles all of the time without realizing it. Thanks so much for the review!  
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**Mysterious: That must've been so weird about sleepwalking then, huh? I would've woken up all disoriented. xD I haven't played Sonic Colors, but I heard that it got awful reviews. Have you played it? The only other Sonic villain that I like is Mephiles because he's fun to pair with Shadow since they're clones in a sense. But oh my god, don't you just hate Team Rose? They drive me crazy in Sonic Heroes! Big has got to be one of my least favorite characters. What's your favorite Sonic team? Oh, and do you watch Sonic X ever? Those all sound like awesome ideas! Thanks for saying that I can use one of them if I want! *hugs you* I have two plots, one for ScourgexFiona and one for ScourgexManic, both of which end up with Scourge corrupting his partner, haha. But seriously, who wouldn't want to be corrupted by him? Thanks for reading!  
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**XxSgt KululuxX: Hehe, I'm glad that you thought that the description was erotic because that was the vibe I was trying to give off from the chapter! I love writing shower scenes and workout scenes for some reason. :P Oh my god, I fell off of my chair laughing when you asked if Mike's reading level would pass that of a third grader in the next chapter. That's just too funny! Hey, can I join you in stalking the monsters through MU? That sounds like a hell of a lot of fun to me! And d'awww, that's so sweet of you to say that I'm your favorite author! Thanks so much, my friend!  
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**Mickfang27: Oh my god, yeah, Mike's head would definitely explode if he ever found out how Randall feels toward Sulley! Hey, well, you won't be sixteen for forever, so there's always a possibility that we could meet in the future sometime after that. :) Randall did have an adorable smile when he first met Mike, didn't he? I have to admit that I like his sneaky smirk better than his smile though. It sounds like you're tired! I hope that you were able to get some rest!  
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**Pig of Guinea: That's a really good point! I highly doubt that Randall will be able to hide his feelings for Sulley for forever. Do you think that he'll actually tell them aloud to Sulley or that Sulley will find out about them on his own? Wow, thank you so much for saying that my writing is some of the best that you've encountered so far on this website! You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I feel the exact same way about longer stories. It's always been a dream of mine to become an author, so details and all those little things are essential to me. That's interesting that you're a Sulley fan! I would've guessed that you're a Randall fan, haha. I'm always horrible with guesses! I think they make a cute couple though. What do you think? Thanks again for the kind words!  
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**badberry123: Yay, I'm really glad to hear that you liked the chapter! I agree with you completely that Randall will probably hold it in for a long time before he lets Sulley know how he truly feels. Which monster do you predict will have to make the first move? Haha, Doom and Mike should totally share a room! Mike would deserve that in my opinion. In all seriousness, who doesn't love shower scenes? Those are always fun to read/write. I've never liked seating assignments for some reason, probably because I have a hard time getting along with people. At least you don't have to do history anymore! That's always a plus. Mm hm, I think that you're right about Celia eventually accepting Mike's advances. Never feel bad for making up theories. I absolutely love to hear about different theories regarding my story! Basically, Randall gets pressured into joining ROR by Johnny. I made him a bitch in this because I wrote it before watching the movie and I'm too lazy to make Johnny nicer. Sorry, Johnny! :P And oh my god, you read Born to Please?! *squeals like an idiot* Sorry for going crazy, but I love getting reviews for that story more than I love getting reviews for this story since I prefer that one, so you just totally made my day! :D I'm so happy to hear that I've turned you into a Chet fan! He is pretty cute with his constant babbling, isn't he? He's a very thoughtful crab. It's good to hear that you like Chip and Johnny now too! Maybe I'll convince you to like Jav and Reg later down the road. Javier's a little hardcore, but he has his reasons for it as you'll find out later and Reggie is really just a softie underneath it all. But anyway, thank you again so much for reading both stories! It means a ton to me!  
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**Chapter XXXXV  
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The rest of the class passes by as smoothly as it possibly can go considering the fact that I have Wazowski for a partner. He reads in a monotone and sometimes slurs his words together, but I manage to get down a good amount of notes regarding the first settlers of Monstropolis. Even though I pay careful attention to Wazowski's reading, I'm pretty sure that he pays absolutely no attention to my reading. Oh well, it's his loss. If he wants to stare at Celia Mae, then fine. He'll just have to read the entire chapter on his own later tonight.

Finally, class comes to an end and Mrs. Mason decides to speak up and make our lives all that much harder as she says, "I'm very proud of you for working together today. It's nice to see students reading together in harmony." I'm forced to chew my tongue to keep from laughing aloud at this irony. Luckily, Mrs. Mason doesn't notice my disrespectful expression and goes on, "In addition to finishing chapter two if you have not yet finished reading it, you are going to have a project this week. I want you to pick one of the leaders who performed a key role In settling Monstropolis and write a thousand word essay about why you chose this monster to write about and why he influenced the society in such a great way. Does anyone have any questions?"

Silence falls over the classroom although several glum faces look up at Mrs. Mason. The history assignment we've been given isn't particularly difficult, but nobody ever looks forward to endless trips to the library, extra reading, writing, and revising. I might have found this task a bit more interesting if it was for my scare class, but since it's for history, I have to admit that it's gonna be boring.

"Great. It's always nice when everyone understands things the first time around," Mrs. Mason says, either intentionally or unintentionally looking like a lazy teacher as these words leave her mouth. "I expect the papers fully revised and handed in at this time next week. You may consult your laptops and visit the library to help you with this assignment. You are all dismissed."

Everyone gets up with a bit less vigor than they had when they had entered the classroom earlier. Even my feet seem to drag as I gather up my school supplies, already thinking about how I'm going to go about working on this project. A trip to the library seems inevitable. I prefer reading to researching online. After all, a good portion of information that you find on websites is made up. The facts you find written in books are far more precise. I don't know whether or not Mrs. Mason will grade us on accuracy, but I don't see any reason to give her a reason to give me anything but the A I deserve.

"We're going to the library after class today," I inform Fungus as the two of us move along with the flow of monsters sweeping out of the history classroom and out into the hallway

"That's a good idea, b-but, Randy?" Fungus stammers, knowing that I hate it when he questions me. I raise an eyebrow at him, but keep myself from snapping so I don't scare the blue-capped monster into silence. "Don't you have that extracurricular scare class of yours after your afternoon class?"

I think for a moment before realizing that Funk is right as always. Frowning, I look at the tiles by my feet and mutter, "Damn, you're right. I suppose that we're gonna have to put off our trip to the library unless you feel like going without me tonight, of course."

"No! I'll wait and g-go with you," Fungus replies immediately, looking almost scared at the prospect of going to the library on his own. I might have found that suspicious if Wazowski hadn't come up from behind us at that very second and interrupted our conversation.

"Better not keep swearing in the hallways, or else I'm afraid that I'll have to report you to the Dean," Wazowski tells me in a mock grave voice before he hurries past Fungus and me, calling toward someone sashaying up ahead of him, "Cee! Wait up, Cee! I have something I want to tell you."

"Is swearing in the hallways even something I could possibly get into trouble for?" I ask Fungus dubiously. The smaller monster raises his orange hands into the air and shrugs slightly. Rolling my eyes, I go on, "Wazowski probably just made that up. Say, where are you going?"

"I have computer class next, not scare class like the rest of you," Fungus says as he starts to take a right at the end of the hallway while I pause from where I'm about to take a left. Giving me a haphazard smile, Fungus says, "I'd go to scare class with you, but it wouldn't do me any good since I don't want to become a scarer. Good luck beating Sullivan today. I'll see you tonight or tomorrow."

"Yeah, alright. See you around," I tell Funk, surprised to find that I'm actually going to miss him at my scaring class. As I continue down the hallway, I realize that I probably won't see him until sometime the next day because I have a scaring class now, an hour of freedom after it, and then my second scaring class with the Dean. By the time I manage to finish all of this, it's going to be late and I'm going to want to get a start on my homework.

It doesn't take long to reach the large stage-like scaring classroom. However, unlike last time, it looks extremely different. Instead of a hundred folded chairs sitting before the stage, there is only empty space. I hesitate in the doorway of the classroom for a moment, wondering whether or not I'm at the right place until I notice several of the other students already clustered just inside the classroom. They frown and whisper amongst one another, obviously wondering the same thing as me.

Not wanting to block the doorway, I move to my left a few inches and realize that more has changed about the classroom besides for the absent chairs. There are a series of doors lined up at the far side of the room. The doors are all different shaped and sizes. Some doors are tall, some are short, and others are somewhere in between. A few doors are wooden, others are painted solid colors, and some doors have intricate patterns painted on them. I wonder what the significance of these doors is and how we're going to be using them today.

It doesn't take long for the rest of the class to arrive in the classroom. Murmured whispers bounce off of the walls as everyone minus me leans over and whispers to their neighbors about the possible meaning of all of these extra doors. Unable to help it, I notice Sullivan walk through the doorway and watch his progress as he waves to a few students who call out his name and wave at him vigorously. Bile and George are among this group. It seems like Sullivan is an idol to everyone. Speaking of Bile, he looks like he's recovered from the clay eating incident although his normally slimy bluish-purple skin is a bit more pale than normal.

Part of me wants Sullivan to glance over in my direction and part of me does not want him to look over in my direction. As usual, the furry blue monster is framed by his trusted colleagues, Scott Squibbles and Art. I shake my head absentmindedly, wondering if they ever leave his side. Wait, apparently they do since I caught him alone at the gym the other night. Still, I can't help but wonder just how hard it was for Sullivan to break free of his devoted fan boys. I doubt that escaping them is easy.

At the very last minute, Wazowski flies through the classroom door panting heavily. I wonder what he's been up to, but find that the answer is rather obvious. No doubt he offered to walk Celia Mae to whatever her next class is, chitchatted with her outside the doorway of her classroom for as long as possible, and then realized that he was going to be late for his own class unless he took off at a run. That's just how the lime green eyeball's pea-sized brain works.

"Am I late?" Wazowski asks, still panting heavily and resembling a dog from the human world as he leans against the dark wall of the scaring classroom, looking around desperately as he begs, "Someone tell me that I'm not late!"

"You're not late, Mikey. You're just on time," Sullivan calls over to where Wazowski Is officially freaking out, looking from left to right at the new furnishings in the scaring classroom.

Before the conversation between my rival and my worst enemy can continue, the classroom doors flies open one final time and Dean Hardscrabble swoops in. She folds her scaly burgundy wings behind her back and proceeds to step gracefully across the classroom before taking the five stairs leading up to the stage on the far side of the room. All pairs of eyes follow the headmistress' progress until she comes to a halt.

"Good afternoon, class. Welcome to your third scaring class. Last week, you each encountered the scaring simulator. As I said last week, I am very impressed with the numbers some of you managed to achieve. It appears as If I have a very intelligent class this year," the Dean starts out, giving us a ghost of a smile as she looks down on all of her students clustered against the wall. "I'm sure that you're all wondering what these doors are here for. Today, you are going to practice proper door entering execution. Who can tell one of the two best ways to enter a child's bedroom door?"

I don't usually raise my hand in class, but this is my scaring class and my rivalry with Sullivan to answer the most questions correctly and get the highest scores has already begun. We both shoot our hands into the air although I have to admit that Sullivan's hand is a bit more prominent in the crowd of monsters since he's a good six inches taller than me. Due to this reason, I'm not all that surprised when the Dean points at the shaggy blue monster.

"Mr. Sullivan? Would you like to answer the question?" Dean Hardscrabble asks, raising her eyebrows at Sullivan while I dismally let my hand fall to my side.

"One of the best ways to enter a child's bedroom is by using a dramatic approach. You should fling open the door to the bedroom and let out a loud roar the moment you're inside to catch the child off guard," Sullivan explains before adding, "Of course, you should be careful of whatever is on the floor so you don't accidentally step into the room, trip over something, and fall flat on your face."

Several monsters turn and send Bile snide looks. It seems like nobody has forgotten his incident with the skateboard and the building blocks yet. Bile's already odd complexion turns an even odder shade as the Dean says, "That's very true, Mr. Sullivan. You should always execute caution whenever you use this technique. It is most useful for monsters of larger stature with deep voices. Can anyone else tell me the second approach you can use to enter a child's bedroom with?"

My webbed hand flies up along with several other monsters' hands. The question is an easy one, but I still want to be the one to answer it just so Sullivan and I are on even terms. The Dean glances over us before her eyes turn to me and she asks, "Mr. Boggs?"

I wouldn't say that Dean Hardscrabble has favorites, but she does seem to favor me once In a while. I immediately lower my hand and send a satisfied smirk in the monster to my left's direction as his face falls as he drops his arm. After clearing my throat, I speak, "The other way to enter a child's bedroom is by using discretion and stealth to enter the bedroom unnoticed. This takes a considerably more talented monster than the other approach. After all, anyone can bang open a door, but entering a bedroom with caution and remaining undetected for a given time is quite a bit more difficult."

"Very good, Mr. Boggs. You're right about how this second approach to scaring is more difficult than the first. This is one of the reasons why I want you all to have some practice entering bedroom doors. I would like you to try both methods of entering a bedroom and find out which method works best for you. If you're having problems figuring out which method you should be using, raise your hand and I will come to clear up the confusion," the Dean informs us, taking a breath before opening her mouth to continue on. Unfortunately, she is interrupted before she gets to explain our next task.

"Ooo, what about me? What scaring method should I be using?" Wazowski blurts out, forgetting to raise his hand in his excitement.

If I was the Dean, I would have snapped or lost my temper with Wazowski by now, but the headmistress keeps calm as always and reminds Wazowski gently, "Please remember to raise your hand before speaking. Like I said earlier, I would like for you to try each method of entering a bedroom at least once. However, judging from your stature and abilities, I assume that using the first scaring approach will be the most beneficial to you."

"Alright, that sounds good. I've always liked the catching the kid off guard approach," Wazowski points out conversationally.

Now that the interrupter has stopped talking, the headmistress gets to say what she was going to say earlier, explaining, "Your task today is to find a door located at the end of the classroom and form a line about ten feet or so away from it. Each line should consist of four to five monsters. You're going to be rotating taking turns entering the door. Whenever I blow my whistle, you rotate and allow a new monster to give the door a try. After executing your entrance, a little number will pop up on the other side of the doorway. This number will-"

"Oh, oh, I know!" Wazowski exclaims, finding it somewhere within himself to actually interrupt the Dean even after she reminded him to raise his hand only moments earlier.

I manage to catch Sullivan's eye for the first time today as I glance over at Wazowski. He rolls his eyes at me, his thoughts clearly mirroring mine. His facial expression seems to say "Wazowski is such an idiot, isn't he?"

A small smirk flits over my lips before I tear my gaze from Sullivan back to the loudmouthed imbecile. He's blabbering, "The number on the back of the door will tell you how good your performance was on a scale of one to ten with one being the lowest and ten being the highest. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Yes, that is correct, Mr. Wazowski," the Dean replies dryly. Several more eyes are rolled. I assume that everyone in the classroom figured that the numbers on the backs of the doors would represent our scores. You don't exactly have to be a rocket scientist in order to figure that one out. The Dean continues on, "There is a reason that the numbers are located on the backs of the doors instead of on the fronts of the doors. I want these numbers private and only visible to your eyes. Experiment with different ways and methods of entering the doors. Find out what works for you and what doesn't. Is your task clear?"

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_Review please! :)  
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	47. Chapter XXXXVI

**honorstudent97: Oh god, I'm sorry! *facepalms* This is the problem with online sometimes. :P But hey, I guess that we'll survive as long as we have our online friends to fanboy and fangirl with, right? :D Also, is it just me or can you not get on deviant art? I can't log in and it's really bugging me. x_x  
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**Remy: You are so welcome for the updates! I can't tell you how happy I am to have people reading them! That's what makes me smile. :) But YES, Mike is very annoying in class. It's definitely a good thing that Randall is around to keep him in line, don't you think? Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Yay, I'm always glad to hear that you liked the chapters! Let me know what you think of this one!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I'm with you on someone having to sew Mike's mouth shut! Do you think that Randall should be the one to do it? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**jade4563: I know, right? Wouldn't you think that even an idiot like Mike would know better than to talk back to the Dean? Apparently not. It sounds like the Dean is a hard teacher what with those essays she's given out. I dunno about you, but I hate essays! Hope this chapter is as good as the last one!  
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**James95: I'm really glad that you liked the concepts in the chapters including the scaring class! Ooo, that would be interesting if Sulley and Randall got locked in a closet together! That would be an uncomfortable situation for sure, don't you think? Thanks for the comment!  
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**Mysterious: *high fives you for sharing the same opinion on Team Rose as me* Ugh, I wanna murder Big too! He's like my least favorite Sonic character. Who's your least favorite? If I was Froggy, I would keep running away from Big too, haha. That's pretty cool that your brother has all of the Sonic games except for Generations. I'm actually a huge Sonic and Mario freak even if I don't make it that obvious. Team Underground would've been awesome or how about a team with Storm, Jet, and Wave? You know, Team Babylon? I really like Sonic X and Sonic Underground! Do you like one of the shows more than the other? Hm, honestly, the only girl I can see with Sonic is Amy. Omg, did you see Sonic 06 when they creators tried to stick him with the human princess girl? That was weird! ...I think that I'm going to post my old Sonic fanfic up here now that we're talking about it. It's about the Chaotix, dunno if you like them or not. Thanks for reading the chappie!  
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**Mickfang27: Getting to test doors is always fun! How long do you think that it will take for Sulley and Randall to work out their feelings for each other? I'm so glad to hear that you're still liking Born to Please. Chip was an actual character in the movie, but he didn't have any lines, so that's probably why you don't remember him. Javier is the insect guy and Reggie is the fuzzy green monster with the three yellow eyes. Does that help to clear things up, I hope? Thanks again for wishing me luck with my real life situation. You're such a good friend. *hugs you*  
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**Pig of Guinea: Aw, thank you so much about the comment regarding me becoming an author! That's definitely my goal for someday in the future. I just have to get around to sitting down and writing something original. So I take it that you like Sulley's optimism? I'm kind of a pessimist like Randall. We're a bit alike that way. I wouldn't say that Sulley ends up changing Randall, but they do even each other out so to speak, you know? Hm, that's a good point that you made about the Dean's speech in the last chapter. I should get around to editing that out. Thanks for reading this!  
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**badberry123: Hello again! It's great to hear that you liked the previous chapter! Hehe, I think that Funk wants to go to the library so he can spend some "quality time" with Randall so to speak. I can also see Mike walking Celia to her class and then tearing down the hallway to get to his own class. *facepalms* I agree with you about Randall and Sulley being at the top of the class. Out of curiosity, who do you think is the better scarer? I agree with you completely about Sulley having to slowly help Randall out of his comfort zone so to speak. It's kind of funny though because I see Randall as the bolder of the two once he gets over his shyness. Doom and Mike sharing a dorm room would be a disaster, that's for sure. They'd probably rip each other to pieces! To be quite honest, I don't do the ROR gang justice at all in this story. They're just a group of bastards because I didn't know how to portray them when I wrote this. I owe a big apology to all of the guys. *hides from them* If anyone can bring Johnny out of his depression funk in Born to Please, I think that it's definitely Chet. What do you think? He's a very thoughtful guy and I can't see anyone not wanting a friend like him. Omg, so you're actually shipping ChetxJohnny now? That is awesome! *high fives you* For some reason, I really like Chet's and Mike's rivalry. I think that it's kind of funny. At least Chet managed to stay out of trouble for now! Hm, if I could go to MU, I think that I would want to be a scarer. Why? Well, I don't work very well with others and so I don't think that I'd make a very good assistant, you know? Omg, that's so funny about how you would steal the PNK uniforms and then run off! I'd really like to join HSS. I think that I give off the goth vibe with all my piercings, dyed hair, and dark makeup. I'd probably fit right on in with the group. :P I can for sure see why you'd want to hang out with the characters you chose! Who would you like to have as a best friend? This sounds horrible, but I'd love to be drug buddies with Javier. He seems like a ladies' man to me and I've always loved the tall, quiet type. xD Thanks for the nice review!  
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**Chapter XXXXVI  
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A murmur of agreement rises up from the monsters in the scaring classroom. Like me, most of the monsters look excited to practice new scaring techniques.

"Very well then. Please line up behind the doors without pushing and shoving. There should be four or five monsters to a door. When I blow my whistle, the first monster in your line may proceed," the Dean explains.

The sounds of feet heavy and light against the carpeted floor reaches my ears as every monster in the room hurries toward a door in front of them. I choose the door closest to me without even looking at its design. Only once I'm trapped between Bile and George do I bother to look up at it. This door has been painted white, but also has designs painted onto it. A colorful rainbow and a few flowers have been painted on the top half of the door. This door would definitely belong to a little girl if it actually had an owner.

Now that I've successfully found a line, I wait impatiently for the Dean's whistle. Bored while I wait, I glance over absentmindedly to my right and to my left. I notice one-eyed Doom and his gang of rough looking monsters all grouped together in front of a rundown door at the other end of the room. Quickly diverting my gaze to the left, I notice Sullivan standing there. At first, I think that I'm just imagining things and blink rapidly. When I open my eyes, the purple polka-dotted monster is still standing next to me, mindlessly humming a random tune under his breath. From our positions in our lines, it appears as if Sullivan and I will be executing our moves together at the exact same time. Part of me wonders if this is all just coincidence or if Sullivan purposefully tried to get into the same position as me. We're both third in line. Irony, you say? Nah, I don't think so.

Finally, the Dean's whistle blows and the first monsters take their turns entering the bedroom doors. Silence dissolves for the rest of class. Doors creak and bang as they're flung open. Despite knowing the fact that there aren't any children behind any of the doors, a few of the students let out loud, booming roars that cause me to flinch and wish that I had some earplugs. I can't decide if I like this method or scoring or not. One the one hand, it will keep us from getting too competitive with each other. On the other hand, I would really like to compare the number I earn with Sullivan's number.

The Dean waits a few seconds for each monster first in line to travel through the doorway and then get a good look at his or her score before blowing her whistle. The monsters who just took their turns scramble to the back of the line while the monsters second in line hurry forward to take their turns. Adrenaline starts pulsing through my veins as I prepare myself for my turn. I sneak a sideways glance at Sullivan. As usual, he looks very calm and relaxed, exactly the opposite of how I'm feeling right now.

A few minutes that feel like a few hours pass before the Dean blows her whistle for a third time. Remembering how she told us to experiment with both scaring methods, I start with the first one and bolt toward the rainbow and flower decorated door in front of me. I fling it open and duck inside it, letting out an instinctive hiss. Now I see why the other monsters were letting out roars. It's all just part of the act.

Before returning to the back of the line, I tilt my head around to see my score. Out of a ten, I only achieved a five. My stomach twists and plummets in disappointment. Although this sort of approach works better for monsters like Sullivan who are big and could easily define scary, I would have expected myself to get a number better than a five. Grumbling under my breath, I take one step forward toward the end of the line before realizing that I can see Sullivan's score from where I'm standing if I crane my neck just slightly to the right. Unable to resist the temptation, I tilt my head inconspicuously to the right and glance over at the neon green number on the black portion of Sullivan's door. An electric lime green seven dazzles me. How could Sullivan possibly have gotten a seven on his first attempt when I only managed to get a five?

Having a hard time trying to suppress my disappointment, I trudge out from behind my door and take my spot at the end of the line just as the Dean blows her whistle again. While I wait for my next turn, I try to think up a better strategy. I tried the catching the kid in the room with the off guard approach and now it's time to use a style of stealth and discretion to enter the room. This should to work more in my favor.

Finally, I'm first in line again. I shift from foot to foot in anticipation as built up energy flows throughout my body. For some reason, I never feel more alive than when I'm at scare class trying to actually do something with my life that will make a difference to the community and to my family, meaning my mother and me, once I finally graduate the school and join Monsters Inc.

The whistle blows a sharp, piercing shriek. This time, I slink forward toward the door, not at all in a hurry. Very quietly, I stand aside and use one hand to creak the door open silently. After allowing it to fall open, I drop to my belly and slither inside the room like a giant gecko. Any child who's bedroom door just opened will look toward the upper part of the door, probably expecting to see the face of a parent or a sibling there. Your typical kid won't think to look down on the ground for purple monsters.

As soon as I'm through the door, I get back to my feet and turn around to see what number I earned this time. A bright green six shines out at me. Feeling slightly more satisfied with this number, I find myself instinctively glancing over at Sullivan's door. A jolt of glee runs through me when I see a telltale five on the back of Sullivan's door. I bound back toward the end of the line, feeling happier than I should about beating Sullivan.

I wait for the next four monsters in line to take their turns, thinking all the while about how this next execution will settle the score between Sullivan and myself for the rest of the day. If he beats me, the shaggy blue monster has proven himself to be the better scarer once again. What if, however, I end up besting Sullivan's score one more time? Just the idea makes me feel lightheaded.

Finally, the moment I'm waiting for has come. Dean Hardscrabble blows her piercing whistle, indicating us to initiate our last entrance. Sullivan uses the first approach and slams open his door before letting out a massive roar. I slink forward to my door, wrap my webbed fingertips around the brass door handle, and then slide the door open, slipping within it and dashing to my left all in one swift movement. If a child actually was present in the room, they would see nothing but a shadow dancing on the far wall of his or her room.

Feeling anxious, I slowly turn around to see my score. A bright green seven blinks out at me yet again. I was hoping for an eight, but I can be satisfied with a seven as long as it beats Sullivan's score. Just like before, I find myself glancing over in the turquoise monster's direction. Suddenly, my razor sharp teeth clench together and my hands knot into fists so tight that my knuckles turn white. A bright green eight is gleaming on Sullivan's door.

As I try to inwardly find a way to deal with my frustration, Dean Hardscrabble clears her throat. Silence immediately falls throughout the room as all eyes turn toward the headmistress. From where the Dean has been standing on the platform, she has been able to see all of our scores. I wonder what she's thinking right now. I suppose that she's thinking about how Sullivan is the best scarer in the class and what not. I continue grating my teeth together and cast a steely look in Sullivan's direction. He's looking at the Dean like I should be. Still feeling disappointed at myself and angry with Sullivan for being so good, I turn my attention to the headmistress along with everyone else.

"You've all done a very good job today. I noticed some of you putting up some very high numbers," Dean Hardscrabble says, eyes flickering over to Sullivan's direction. "Unfortunately, we are out of time for today. As usual, you don't have any intensive homework. However, I do need to inquire on the task I gave you last week. Who has found a scare partner?"

To my surprise, each and every hand in the scaring classroom raises into the air. Apparently, the students here are taking this a bit more seriously than I thought they were. Great. This will just make things all the harder for me to become the school's top scarer at the end of the year.

"I'm impressed," the Dean says, cutting into my thoughts. "I must admit that I didn't think that all of you would have been able to find partners. Next week, I would like for you to ask your partners to come with you to class. You will need some experience working with your partner before actually working on a real life scare floor. Until next week, you are dismissed. For those of you who are attending my extracurricular scare class tonight, we will be meeting at the gym once again. It is the best location for a meeting. You are all dismissed."

Leaning down, I pick up my books and notebooks before hurrying toward the scaring classroom's entrance. I'm still feeling extremely disappointed about failing to beat Sullivan during class today. Once again, he's proven himself to be the top monster. When will it be my turn to prove my worth? Will it ever be my turn?

My stomach ties itself into knots as I hurry down the hallway, not even sure why I'm walking so quickly. What if, and I have to admit that this is a possibility, I never outshine Sullivan? What if I'm forced to live in his shadow for the rest of my life? I can just see it now; Randall Boggs, the scarer that could have been great if it weren't for James P. Sullivan, the top scarer at Monsters Inc.!

I kick the floor in frustration, which doesn't do much to help relieve my anger and only gives me a stubbed toe instead. Wincing, I pay no attention to where I'm going and run straight into a monster rounding the corner. The two of us collide and I feel my breath nearly knocked out of me as I slam against the monster's rock hard chest. Stumbling up against the wall, I work to clear my vision. One of one-eyed Doom's thugs is glaring at me with his arms folded over his chest.

"Watch where you're going, you little idiot," the monster bellows in an annoyed tone before he tramps down the hallway, footsteps loud against the tile floor.

I stare after the monster, wondering if it's even possible to get ruder than that. Hell, that monster might even rival Wazowski's title as most annoying monster at the university if you ask me. Straightening myself up to my full height, I push my fronds back from my forehead and pick my way to the elevator a bit more carefully this time. I reach my dorm room without any other dilemmas and drop off my school supplies before stepping back out into the hallway. I know that there is still a good twenty minutes before my next scaring class with Dean Hardscrabble starts, but twenty minutes isn't enough time to start studying and I'm not in a mood to sit around anyway.

With nothing better to do, I walk up and down the hallways for a bit to burn up some time and also to try and sate my anger. As much as it shouldn't still be bothering me, I continue to feel annoyed at Sullivan. I suppose that it's not his fault that he's so much better than me at scaring, but it is embarrassing to always come in second place. My emotions toward Sullivan are very conflicted. There are times when I'm positive that I despise him more than any other monster at this school, but there are also times when I feel the complete opposite of loathing for him. I'm gonna blame it on hormones for now.

Seeing that it's almost time for my next class to begin, I hurry down the hallway for a final time and slip into the gym. Most of the monsters in the special scare class are already there and are sitting on the floor just like they were for the last class. The Dean, who is standing in the corner of the room consulting a textbook about something or the other, glances up when I enter the room.

"Hello, Mr. Boggs. Please have a seat with the rest of us. We're just about to get started. Make yourself comfortable," the headmistress tells me with a small smile before she returns to her book.

Even though I don't know any of the monsters here, I actually feel more welcome at this class than at any of my other classes. I fold myself into a sitting position between two monsters that look like they're a few years older than me. Our circle sits quietly in serene silence before the Dean finally steps over to us and sits at the front of our group.

"Good evening to all of you," the Dean greets us, that small ghost of a smile still lingering on her lips. "It's good to see that you've made it through your first week here at Monsters University. Are all of you enjoying your stay here so far? If there's anything I can do to help make you more comfortable here, please let me know. All of you are the future of Monsters Inc. and I want to do whatever it takes to help you succeed."

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_Review please! :) Also, on a random note, I'm thinking about posting some of my old stories from my previous account on here. Some of them are Sonic the Hedgehog and Pirates of the Caribbean related. Feel free to check them out if you want, but if you don't want to read them, that's totally fine too. xD  
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	48. Chapter XXXXVII

**honorstudent97: I really hate it when deviant art or any of the other websites that I use a lot goes down. It sends me into panic mode, lol. But anyway, thanks for understanding! I think that I probably come off as a crazy fangirl to anyone who meets me online. And anyway, I'm bi too, so that's awesome. *high fives you*  
**

**jade4563: I agree with you there! Obsessing over beating Sulley to the point where it's making him miserable really can't be too good for poor Randall. It is good that he wants to help out his mother, but maybe he should take things down a notch, right? =/ Thanks for reading!**

**Remy: Randy does get quite angry, I agree! Then again, it does fit his personality like you mentioned. He wants to be the best and coming in second place just doesn't fit his standards. Ooo, parent/teacher conferences, hm? I always hated those! Do they make you nervous at all? Luckily, I haven't had any of those for years now. Glad you could read the update early though! Thanks for your comment!  
**

**Jinx Conlon: D'awww, you and your friends are so sweet! I'm so glad to hear that you're all loving this story so much! That means so much to me. Don't worry, Sulley and Randall will eventually kiss. These things just sort of take time, you know? And hehe, no, it's not weird! I like feeling the love vibes! *sends them back to you and your friends* Thank you all for such kind words!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I'm so glad that you liked the chapter! I don't think that I elaborate on that bit in the story, so I'll just tell you right now that Fungus doesn't want Randall talking to Doom because he thinks that Doom is trouble. So basically Funk is trying to protect Randy. :) Thanks for reading!  
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**XxSgt KululuxX:Wow, really? My descriptions are that good? I never thought that they were all that great to be honest. I would have a heart attack if I woke up to someone hissing in my ear as well! Who do you think is scarier - Sulley or Randall? I agree with you completely though. As soon as Randall masters his camouflaging ability, he'll blow everyone else away! And omg, I like angry Randall too. Sulley agrees with us, I'm sure. *nods* Thank you so much for the great review!  
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**James95: I definitely see Randall as the paranoid type. How about you? But anyway, I'm glad that you like the way I'm slowly developing Randy into Randall! Hope you like this next chapter as well!  
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**Mysterious: Omg, another Chaotix fan! *dies and goes to heaven* I looooove the Chaotix! Did you first see them in Sonic X or in Sonic Heroes? Yeah, Elise can go die in a hole, nobody likes her! I don't like Sonic 06 besides for Mephiles. He has a cool voice or something, haha. Sally Acorn drives me crazy too! In fact, I don't like any of the Sonic females all that much. Which Sonic girls do you like? I just like Fiona, Rouge, and Wave. Yay, glad you agree with me about Team Babylon! *high fives you* Who's your favorite member of the group? I've always liked Jet. He's kinda immature, but cute at the same time. And omg, ikr? I have no idea how the hell Charmy carries Vector around. He must have super strength or something! Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**Mickfang27:I definitely think that Randall needs a wake-up call, yeah. *nods* In my opinion, each person on the planet is unique and special in their own way. Like you said, there will only ever be one Randall Boggs. Haha, that happens to me a lot when I plan something, forget about it, and plan something else. I'm really forgetful that way. Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**badberry123: Yay, I'm glad to hear that you liked the chapter because of the door action! I feel sorry for Randall too in a sense. It's like he ends up getting overshadowed no matter what he does, poor thing. Honestly, I think that Randall is the more dangerous of the two monsters even if Sulley is scarier. After all, I think that he would've strangled Sulley in MI if it weren't for Mike's snowball, you know? I'm glad that you're excited to see the monsters working with their assistants! You'll see more of them later. :) I'm with you on Fungus! The poor guy's jealousy just keeps getting worse and worse no thanks to Mike and Sulley getting to spend time with Randy. Yeah, we all have our own opinions on who should top, but I can assure you that Sulley gets a turn at dominating at some point or the other in this story. *hints* Chet is awesome, I agree! He's one of those guys who would be your friend for life once you make friends with him. What a cutie! He does seem pretty enthusiastic for gym (with Johnny xD), doesn't he? Ooo, Faye is a pretty name! I like it! The hero moment is what really makes me ship ChetxJohnny. I think that it is my favorite moment in the entire movie. And of course you can be my assistant! We'd make a great team! *high fives you* Haha, well, if the PNKs try to hunt you down to make you give the outfits back, you can hide out in the HSS house with me! Chet, Art, and Funk would all make good friends, I think. It's funny because all three of them are quite different from each other, don't you think? Yeah, I'd love to be besties (or more :P) with Javier. I love that crazy bug. Omg, omg, omg, we need to talk Sonic and Mario! :D I have this huge crush on Scourge too, it's not even funny! Do you ship him with anyone or...? Shadow is great too. I love the Sonic games because the stories always seem to have deeper plots to me than other games for some reason. What are your favorite Sonic games? Oh, and what are your favorite Mario games and characters? I hope that you don't mind all of my questions. I really love chatting with you (obviously). xD  
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**Chapter XXXXVII  
**

A grateful murmur runs through the ring of students. Finally, one student, a female monster with golden hair coiled on a bun on top of her head murmurs, "Everything here is perfect, thank you."

"That's very good to hear," the headmistress actually sends a genuine smile at the student before saying, "I suppose that now it's time to get down to business. Like last week, I am going to work with each of you individually. You each have specific talents that could use some molding and directing. My job is to help you bring your specific talents to your full potential. While you are waiting for me to call your name, feel free to chat quietly with your fellow students or look inside the crates. I have some new items placed in them this time."

All the heads in the room swing around to see that the gym has been cleared of all balls, rackets, and gym equipment and has been replaced with crates containing odds and ends.

"Mr. Waxford? I'd like to start with you. Please come with me," Dean Hardscrabble calls upon the first student.

I watch the shifty-eyed Waxford follow the Dean to the corner of the room. The Dean takes the book she was skimming through earlier and holds it at Waxford's level so they can both look at it. I notice the headmistress' mouth moving and assume that she's reading some of the book aloud to her student.

The monsters around me get up and proceed to follow the Dean's directions. Most of them head toward the crates and start looking through them for any objects that might be of use to them in the scaring field. The Dean has dubbed them as "useless junk" to the rest of the students, but as "helpful devices" to us. We're allowed to take whatever we want from the crates.

I consider going over to join the other students pillaging the crates, but then something catches the corner of my eye. I notice the background flipper from last week standing in the opposite corner of the room. I would be lying if I didn't say that it immediately catches my attention. Without even realizing it, I find my feet moving on their own accord until I stand directly in front of the background flipper. I tug on the rope dangling on one side of the device and change the background to a brick pattern. Tilting my head at it, I wonder if I could turn my scales to the color of this background if I try to.

….Do I dare to try it? Ah, what the hell? I don't see why not. Nobody is paying any attention to me anyway.

I try to remember what the Dean told me the last time we spoke about camouflaging. I think that she said something about concentration. Staring hard at the brick backdrop behind me, I try concentrating my mind on it as hard as I can. At first, nothing happens. I stay a purple scaled chameleon and the backdrop remains in a brick pattern. Frowning, I figure that I must not be concentrating hard enough and squeeze my eyes shut in an attempt to block out everything but the image of that brick backdrop in front of me.

"Very good! I'm impressed," a voice sounds from behind me. Jerking out of my reverie, I glance over my shoulder to find the headmistress observing me with a look of approval on her face. I'm not sure how long she's been standing there for. Hopefully, not for too long. The Dean goes on, "I figured that I would find you over here. It's obvious that you have the potential to turn into whatever your background color is, but the key to unlocking this ability is to figure out what makes you camouflage quickly and easily."

I nod, concentrating hard on Dean Hardscrabble's words before I ask curiously, "Did I change into my background just now? I had my eyes shut and was trying to focus on it."

"Yes, you did change to a brick pattern," the Dean nods, causing a slightly satisfied feeling to well up inside of me. Even if I failed at the scaring class earlier, at least I made some progress in this extracurricular class. The headmistress goes on, "In what ways were you trying to focus on your background?"

"Well, like I said, I had my eyes shut," I reply, trying to go back to the moment I had camouflaged in my mind. Now that I think of it, a sharp sizzling sensation had briefly rippled through me when my scales went from purple to the color of rusty bricks. I explain this to the Dean, going on, "I was concentrating hard on the colors and patterns of the bricks. When I changed form, my scales felt different. It felt like they were burning for a split second. The feeling left almost as quickly as it came though."

"That's completely normal. Most monsters with the ability to camouflage either feel a burning or a freezing sensation. The sensation is individual to each monster," the Dean quickly reassures me before offering me some suggestions, "Concentrating on color is a good idea, but don't forget that you have five senses. Use them to help you transform. Ask yourself what the texture of the brick is like, what it would smell like, and, I know this sounds silly, but just use your imagination for a moment, what the brick would taste like. If you incorporate all of these senses together in regards to what you're trying to camouflage with, I think that you will speed up with your transformations. Would you like to give it a try now?"

The Dean's words make a lot of sense and I find myself nodding along to what she says, replying, "Why not?"

So I don't have to go through the monotony of concentrating on brick again, the headmistress pulls the rope dangling from the background flipper, causing a light sky blue background to fall over the brick background. I'm not sure whether or not the background is actually supposed to be the sky or not, but I decide to use my imagination, something it seems like the Dean is urging me to do.

Closing my eyes for concentration, I use my five senses in regards to the backdrop. My first sense is sight. What words can I use to describe the color of my background? Cerulean, azure, and sapphire all come to mind. Next, I focus on texture. If what I am focusing on really is the sky, it won't have any texture at all. If I try to touch it, my hand will just go through nothingness. Taste is the third sense. Tasting the sky would be like tasting air or just breathing normally. What about hearing? Can I possibly hear anything in this blue matter? I consider this for a moment before realizing that the sky is full of everyday sounds such as birds chirping, the wind blowing, and other naturally occurring noises.

Suddenly, the sharp, abrupt sizzling sensation that came over me earlier ripples down my spine. I slowly open my eyes, not wanting to break my concentration as I gaze over my body only to find that I can't see it. I've transformed into the sky blue background in record timing.

"Great work," the Dean says approvingly. "How did that feel? It seemed like your transformation took a lot less time just now. Did it feel less time consuming to you?"

I nod, replying, "It took about one third the amount of time it took me to transform into the brick pattern the last time I tried. Wait, why am I visible again? I'm still concentrating."

My lips curve downward as I glance down at myself and notice my violet scales shimmering in the light once again. The Dean quickly explains this and says, "I've never met any monster with a camouflaging ability who could continue camouflaging while he or she talked. The purpose of camouflaging is to hide oneself. Speaking gives away the element of surprise. Would you like to try another backdrop?"

"Alright," I agree, feeling like I might finally be starting to get the hang of this.

The Dean pulls the rope again, causing a new background to fall behind me. It takes me a moment to figure out what the backdrop is of. If I tilt my head at it, I find that the background looks a lot like gingerbread. Part of me is tempted to ask the Dean whether the background really is gingerbread or not, but I decide against questioning her. I need to prove to the Dean that I'm more than capable of working things out on my own if I want to become the school's top scarer at the end of the year.

Deciding that the backdrop is gingerbread, I first assess the color of the background. It is a shade of chestnut brown. Next, I identify the texture. Gingerbread is soft, but also crumbly. If you tear a piece of gingerbread into two pieces, chances are you'll end up with ten pieces. Smell is the third sense. Gingerbread smells sweet, but also tangy with a touch of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other strong spices mixed into it.

Before I can get around to identifying any of the other senses, the momentary burning sensation flows through me once again. I pop my eyes open realizing that regardless of whether or not my background really is gingerbread, I've managed to turn into it. Knowing that speaking will return me to my original form, I take a few moments to pride myself on my transformation. I move my right arm, but see nothing. Smirking to myself at my newfound ability, I try shaking my left hand in front of my face. I still can't see anything.

"That was even faster than the previous time," the Dean's words break into my momentary state of euphoria. "Very well done. You've made excellent progress today, Mr. Boggs. I'd love to continue working with you, but unfortunately my time is limited and I must move on to the next student now. Feel free to practice camouflaging in your spare time, but make sure you don't overdo it. Camouflaging Is a tiring process. I look forward to seeing you on Thursday."

With that said, the Dean steps across the room to talk with another student. I enjoy my camouflaged scales for another moment or two before I step forward, expecting myself to return to normal. …I don't return to normal. Instead, I remain the color of my background. Frowning, I realize how ironic it is how I've been trying so hard to camouflage myself lately and that now I'm trying to get my scales to return to normal.

After I take a few steps forward and I still remain invisible to the naked eye, I panic and do the only thing that I know to do; I make a sound. Clearing my throat causes my scales to shimmer back into focus. I make a mental note to remember this. If I can't seem to jerk out of a certain camouflage, all I need to do is cough, clear my throat, or speak. This will immediately make me turn visible once again.

Now visible in the gym, I decide to return to my dorm room to try and actually get some things done tonight. I still need to work on my homework and I need to study. Although I'm tempted to stay in the gym and continue my camouflaging for another hour or so, I decide to heed the Dean's warning and not overdo it. Already, I feel a bit tired from the extra energy I had to exert to blend in with my surroundings. Camouflaging is not easy work even though it does pay off in the end.

Lost in thoughts about camouflaging and the subjects I need to study for tonight – arithmetic, history, and science – I trace the familiar path to the elevator, travel to the fifth floor, and then hurry to my dorm room. I'm about to dig my familiar room key out when I notice that there is a green circle visible on the lock on the door handle. This can only mean one thing; one-eyed Doom is already in the room.

I suddenly stop reaching for the door handle, wondering why the strange, red-eyed monster is in the dorm room so early tonight. Typically, Doom doesn't show up until right before curfew if he even bothers to show up at all. I hesitate just outside of the dorm room doorway and then realize how pathetic I'm being. The dorm room is mine just as much as it is Doom's. I'm not about to let my roommate scare me away.

Setting my jaw in a firm line, I push the door to the room open before I can decide to go to the library and step inside it. Just like I expected, Doom is already in the dorm room, hovering above his bed. One of the odd things about Doom is the way he never seems to do anything. Not once have I caught him studying, reading, or doing anything related to his classes. All he ever does is float in midair and stare in front of himself with that vacant, but deadly crimson stare on his face.

Supposing that it's best just to leave the strange monster alone, I immediately turn and start toward my desk. Perching on the edge of my chair behind my desk, I shove my purple-rimmed glasses further up my nose and dig through my pile of books until I find my arithmetic textbook. I flip through the wrinkled pages of it before I find the subtraction problems I've been assigned to complete this week. I never finished them although I did manage to get a head start on them earlier. Now is the perfect time to actually finish them.

I don't expect the subtraction problems to take all that long, but by the time I'm finished with them, it's gotten late and my eyelids are droopy. Snapping my arithmetic book shut, I ignore the fact that I feel like I could pass out at any moment and reach for my history book. I still need to finish reading chapter two of the textbook because a certain one-eyed cretin was reading extremely slowly earlier because he couldn't get his mind off of the purple-haired, pink-skinned Celia.

Despite the fact that I am trying hard to concentrate on what I'm reading, the text goes in one of my ears and out the other. I read the same sentence three times in a row and find that I still don't know what it says. A spontaneous yawn slips out of the corner of my mouth as I glance over my shoulder at my alarm clock, curious about what time it is. The neon digits on my clock inform me that it is just a few minutes before ten pm. I usually stay up an hour or two later than this, but I think that trying to stay awake under the current circumstances would just be a waste of time. I'm not getting anything out of my reading when I'm more asleep than awake like this.

I should get up out of my desk chair, but I seem be glued to the chair. Even getting up and walking across the rooms seems like an exerting process that takes up too much energy. Chiding myself for my stupidity, I really am about to get up and make my way to the bed when a sizzling noise sounds from somewhere above me. At first, I think that it's just my imagination, but then a voice coming from the loudspeaker booms into the room. Damn. Something is always wrong when the loudspeaker kicks on.

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_Review please! :)  
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	49. Chapter XXXXVIII

**honorstudent97: Really? I always think that I give off the crazy fangirl vibe, not like that's a bad thing or anything. It's totally okay and normal to be obsessed with fictional monsters, right? xD  
**

**jade4563: Lol, it doesn't sound morbid at all! You're just curious, right? Nothing wrong with that! Besides, I love reading about murder mysteries and other horror stuff. xD Did you decide to make some gingerbread? I don't like eating it, but I love the smell of it. Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Remy: Sorry about the cliffie! You know that I like leaving you with them. :P And aw, you really feel that much happier/relaxed after reading one of my chapters? That is so nice to hear, you have no idea. *hugs you* God, I used to feel that exact same way about parent/teacher conferences. I'm one of those really paranoid people who hates it when anyone talks about me when I'm not around even if they're saying nice things about me, you know? Thanks for asking about my personal life! It's going...okay. I sort of spazzed out earlier when my A/C broke, but I *think* that I fixed it. Please cross your fingers for me because replacing it would cost a lot of money that I don't have.  
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**90s Total Drama Pokemon: Here's the next chapter! I'm so glad that you like Sulley's and Randall's relationship in this. I take it that you're a fan of the SulleyxRandall pairing?  
**

**BloodRedRoses04: You'll figure out what's going on in this chapter! I'm so glad that you liked the way that I described Randall's camouflaging ability. :) Yay, I'm so happy that you're reading Born to Please next! Hope you like both chappies!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: I definitely think that Randall will use his camouflaging ability to his advantage later. Maybe he'll scare Mike with it. And omg, yay, another Sonic fan! *high fives you* Who are your favorite Sonic characters? Do you think that you might want to read my Sonic fanfic? *looks hopeful*  
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**James95: I'm very glad that you thought that the chapter was refreshing. I try not to overdo it with the romance, you know? Variety is always key. Let's cross our fingers that the murders don't get worse. Thank you for your comment!  
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**Mysterious: Yeah, isn't it weird how Charmy is a prince in the comics? I haven't actually read all of the comics. I just watched Sonic Heroes and Sonic X. :P But isn't Charmy like 16 in the comics too? It's so weird! I prefer him as a little kid. Jet has a weird voice, yeah. xD Do you ship him with anyone? He always seems pretty interested in Sonic in the games. I sorta ship them. And yay for liking the same Sonic female characters as me! *high fives you* Is Amy your favorite female then? I like Fiona best. She's a lucky chick. I want Scourge for myself, haha. Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**Mickfang27:Having the ability to camouflage into our backgrounds would be awesome, I agree! There are a lot of times in life when I just want to disappear. Do you ever feel like that? Other supernatural abilities that I'd like to have are the ability to read minds and the ability to change/predict the future. Wouldn't that be awesome? Glad to hear that you like the quick updates! Here's another!  
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**dragon of colors: Wow, I'm so glad that you like this story despite the fact that you don't usually like slow building stories! I have to admit that I'm with you on that one - long stories usually bore me to death. I'm glad that you're enjoying this though! I take it that you're either a Randall or a Sulley fan? :)**

**badberry123: Yay, I'm glad that you thought that the extracurricular scaring class was epic! It took some imagination coming up with Randall using his different senses to help him with his camouflaging ability. I take it that you like gingerbread? I love the smell of it! And yup, camouflaging with definitely come in handy for Randy later, especially if he wants to scare Mike, hehe. Thanks for still reading Born to Please! I'd say that Johnny's studies and the pressure that his parents put on him are what's worrying him right now. Chet will definitely become a worrisome matter to him in the future though. :P Hehe, nobody messes with Johnny when Chet is around! He's like his little protector, you know? You're right about Mike's personality. I wrote most of Born to Please after seeing the film, so I tried to make him more IC. Oh god, you're right, I keep forgetting to check out your pics! *facepalms* I've kind of been spazzing out today over real life shit, but I won't bore you with that. Ooo, your doodle ideas sound amazing! Have you drawn the one with Chet and Johnny yet? That sounds so adorable! *squeals* Same here, I'd rather have Sulley scare me than Randall. I'm not ready to die yet. x_x FunkxRandy is adorable; I can't blame you for loving it! I agree that the PNKs wouldn't go near the HSS house. I think that the HSS's are the scariest of the girls. What do you think? I'm sure that my teammates wouldn't mind you dropping by! Hehe, I think that if we were in MU, we'd both be encouraging Randall and Funk and Chet and Johnny to get together! Oh well, we can always hang out with Art if they get too distracted. It's totally okay to be crazy. I'm a crazy bitch as you've probably noticed. xD Scourge is a womanizer to be sure! Lol, I love how he tries to flirt with every girl that comes into view. Fiona is definitely a lucky chick. Don't we all want to be her? :P I'm thinking about writing some FionaxScourge someday. I adore those two! I absolutely love watching Sonic clips online! This sounds stupid, but I watched the clips on youtube before buying any of the games actually. A Sonic movie would be amazing! I would buy that in a flash. Have you watched Sonic X or Sonic Underground? Oh my god, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Heroes, Sonic '06, and Sonic Riders are my favorite games too! *high fives you* What do you like about each one of those games? Big needs to just go die in a hole already. Nobody likes him! And hm, I have a lot of favorite Sonic characters! Scourge is my favorite followed by (get ready for a long list) Manic, Mephiles, Shadow, Fiona, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Knuckles, Jet, Wave, and Rouge. Also, I based one-eyed Doom off of the eye of Doom in the Shadow game! xD That's so funny that you made that connection! Yoshi is freaking adorable! I can understand why you like him. Mario Strikers is really fun and I love the kart games as well. I'm with you though; I get frustrated easily and don't like the Mario games that are too hard. My absolute, all-time favorite Mario game is Super Paper Mario! Have you played that? I think that the plot is really deep and dark and I just love it! *squeals* I have a fifty-something chaptered fic about it saved on my computer somewhere. To answer your question, my favorite Mario characters are Dimentio, Mr. L, Mimi, Nastasia, and Bleck. Birdo and Yoshi are super cute though too. And oh god, I just wrote you a book. I'm sorry! Hope you don't mind. *hides*  
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**Chapter XXXXVIII  
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"Students, may I have your attention please. A very important matter has come up, one that I must speak to you about at once," the voice says, the last sentence helping me to recognize the tones of Dean Hardscrabble. "I would like for you all to assemble in the entrance area of the school. Please refrain from pushing and shoving. Thank you for your cooperation."

I don't know what's going on, but it can't be good if the Dean feels the need to call us all out of our rooms and summon us to a meeting. The thought that is no doubt running through every other student's head runs through my mind. Has someone else died? If so, who is it this time? Were they pushed over the railing of the staircase as well?

Question after question enters my mind as I pull my aching limbs out of my chair and walk as if in a dream to the dorm room door. One-eyed Doom has long since left the room and has joined the chaos of students pushing and shoving on their way toward the staircase. So much for the Dean's last request.

Extremely glad that I know about the elevator, which will bring me to my destination in about one-tenth of the time it would take me to arrive at it by taking the staircase, I weave my way through the masses of monsters swarming in the hallway, doing my best to ignore the cacophony bouncing off of the sides of the walls as I do so. Everything is so loud and buzzing in my ears. I'm surprised that I haven't gotten a headache yet.

Finally, I manage to reach the elevator and waste no time In hitting the bright red button that will get me out of this chaos for a few moments. The elevator's steel doors slide open and allow me an escape. I quickly enter the enclosure and hit another button, the one that will take me to the first floor. The elevator wastes no time in falling shut and plummets downward before coming to an abrupt halt on the fourth floor. Odd. The elevator has never done anything like this before. I stare around myself with suspicious emerald eyes, wondering what could possibly be going on.

As I'm attempting to find out the source of my untimely stop, the elevator's doors slide silently open to reveal a small, speckled monster standing on the opposite side of it. Ah, Funk. No wonder the elevator came to a stop. Fungus looks just as surprised to see me as I was when the elevator came to a stop on the fourth floor. He stands there just outside of the elevator and gives me a shocked look.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Don't be shy, come in. It's only me," I tell Funk, waving him impatiently inside of the elevator. I don't know how the little bean-shaped monster is feeling, but I am a little more than curious to figure out what the Dean's important announcement is about. In general, any sort of announcement from the Dean is equivalent to something bad. What's happened this time? Has there been another murder? Can't say that it would surprise me too much if there has been one. You never know what to expect with monsters like Doom and his gang around.

"H-hey, Randy," Fungus stammers as he finally gets out of his temporary paralysis and scuttles into the elevator next to me. The steel door slides closed behind him and the two of us descend down to the entrance of the school together. Sending me a cautious look out of the corner of his eye, probably to try and judge my mood, Fungus asks, "So what do you t-think that the Dean's announcement is going to be about?"

"God, I don't know, Funk," I reply with a shrug of my shoulders. "How would I know? Do I look like a mind-reader to you? I'm guessing that there's been another accident or something though. The Dean wouldn't just call all of the students out of their beds unless it was for something important."

"That's v-v-very true," Fungus replies, stammering more than usual as he sends wary glances to his left and right. It's clear that he's got murder on his mind because he keeps looking like he thinks that the elevator is gonna attack him at any moment. Fungus twists his webbed fingertips together and goes on, "I s-suppose that someone got hurt, don't you think?"

"Funk, I just told you that I have no clue what the Dean wants," I remind the little monster, starting to get a little annoyed with him. The elevator comes to a halt and slides open. I'm the first one out of it and into the hallway, calling over my shoulder, "You're probably right though. I mean, what else would this be about? A school dance or some other stupid occasion?"

"It could be," Fungus says, not noticing the sarcastic drip in my voice as he follows me through the hallway and into a thick throng of students gathering in the large room just inside of the school doors. I decide not to explain the concept of sarcasm to Fungus right now and instead roll my eyes before weeding my way through sleepy-eyed monsters until I get to the front of the cluster of students. Fungus follows in my wake and the two of us stand side-by-side as we wait for the Dean's message.

Waiting always bores me and I find myself looking absentmindedly around the room until I notice a familiar figure with shaggy blue fur and purple polka dots. My pulse immediately leaps and I try to look away, but Sullivan senses my gaze first. He looks up and sends me a genuine smile and a friendly wave from the opposite side of the room where he happens to be standing by my favorite monster In the world. By my "favorite monster in the world", I'm talking about Wazowski.

Deciding not to be rude even though it would be more than easy to ignore Sullivan, I raise a webbed hand and send him a quick wave. Sullivan beams at me and Fungus glares at me. The smaller monster pokes my side and hisses, "Randy! What are you waving to Sullivan for? He's one of them."

"So?" I ask, shrugging my shoulders carelessly and not bothering to ask what Fungus is referring to.

"You c-can't be friends with one of them. They're all in cahoots, remember? There's Sullivan, Terri and Terry Perry, Art, Wazowski, and all of the others who sit together at that certain table in the cafeteria and always whisper evil plans amongst themselves," Fungus tells me, eyes darting furtively this way and that.

"You know that I've told you a million times that they're just planning for the scare games, right? It's their only chance to get into Monsters Inc., so I can't say that I blame 'em," I tell Fungus, getting a little tired of our constant arguing about whether or not I can be friends with Sullivan. I mean, is it just me or is Fungus starting to get a little too protective of me?

Before the speckled monster can pursue the topic of Sullivan further, students push and shove to form a walkway for the Dean as she appears at the opposite end of the room. She sends the students surrounding her a grateful smile before she steps briskly to the center of the room. I notice that her eyes are dark and that there are lines on her forehead. The headmistress is clearly stressed out about something, but what? Guess I'll find out soon enough.

As soon as the Dean is standing at the center of the room, she clears her throat and says, "May I have your attention please?" Any blabber and small talk that was going on in the room immediately dies down at the Dean's words. Everyone's eyes turn to her as they wait for her message whatever it is. As soon as silence falls, Dean Hardscrabble clears her throat and murmurs, "The disappearance of two students has recently been brought to my attention. The staff and I are doing everything that we can to find these two students, but unfortunately nobody has been able to trace them yet. If you have any knowledge of these students' whereabouts, please raise your hand. The two students in question are Peter Heyboer and Lisa Schultz. Does anyone know anything regarding either of these two students?"

A thick, tense silence falls over the room as students shift where they are standing to look at their neighbors with questioning looks written all over their faces. The blood has drained from Fungus' face and he is standing very still. His blue cap – yup, he's wearing that tacky thing – standing out in contrast to his pale skin. After several moments, it becomes apparent that nobody knows anything about Peter and Lisa's disappearances.

"Very well," the Dean sighs, her voice weighted and melancholy as she continues on, "We will do our very best to locate these students, but if any one of you happens to see them or hear from them, please contact me immediately. As the headmistress of this school, I would like to know about the whereabouts of my students. Nothing like this has ever happened before at Monsters University, no disappearances, no accidental deaths…"

The Dean trails off and it's really obvious that she's trying not to let her voice waver. Guess it must be hard trying to manage such a big school, especially when you're the one in charge. I bet that Dean Hardscrabble gets accused with all kinds of crap from her students' parents.

The Dean manages to pull herself together after a few moments and says, "Anyway, I would like to emphasis the school curfew rule. Everyone needs to be in their dorms by ten pm. That means no wandering the hallways late at night. Understand?"

A chorus of agreement is murmured throughout the group of monsters surrounding the Dean. Nobody wants to argue with her right now and not even Wazowski seems to want to crack a joke at a time like this. A strained sort of tension has built up in the room and is making it extremely hard not to feel jumpy. When I raise a finger to itch my nose, Fungus practically jumps a mile in the air. Gee, I guess that someone is touchy.

Before I can tell Fungus to loosen up, the Dean clears her throat and adds, "I suppose that while you're all here, I might as well get another special announcement out of the way. Although this has nothing to do with the disappearances of students, the annual autumn dance is going to be held in two weeks on October thirteenth. Male monsters should ask the female monsters to this particular dance. There will be another dance after Christmas where the roles will be swapped."

The news of an autumn dance has a varied effect on the monsters forming a circle around the Dean. Some of them look pleased at the news, others look downright excited about it, still other monsters look like they could care less, and some, like me, wrinkle their noses. I'm here for school, not to go to pathetic little dances.

Speaking over the whispers that have broken out in the crowded room, the Dean raises her voice slightly and says, "That will be all for now. Although I am not making it a requirement, I recommend that you use the buddy system when traveling from class to class or even just from dorm room to dorm room if you're visiting friends. In times like these, it never hurts to take precautions and have a friend with you at all times. Your roommate would make an ideal partner for the buddy system. That's all for tonight. I will inform you if we hear anything about Mr. Heyboer and Miss Shultz. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves and execute caution when you find yourself alone or in a small group. Have a good night."

The large crowd in the room immediately dissolves into twosomes and threesomes as friends and roommates turn to climb back up the long, winding staircase to the dormitories. Instead of following in their direction, Fungus and I cut through the clusters of students whispering about the dance and the recent disappearances before we arrive at our elevator. Yeah, I'm calling it "our" elevator now because nobody else uses the damn thing. As soon as I've slammed my fist into the red button just outside of the elevator and Funk and I are traveling upward in privacy, the little monster starts wringing his hands together and starts to open his mouth.

"Funk, if you're gonna ask me if I think that the disappearances are related to the murder, don't ask," I cut in before Fungus can question me about my opinion on something I don't have a clue about. "They could be related or they could not be related. Who knows?"

"Um, actually, I w-wasn't going to ask about that," Fungus stammers, taking a step backward from me as if my snappy tone of voice startled him.

Supposing that I should try to act a little less edgy, I take a deep breath and will myself to be patient, saying, "Alright then. What are you gonna ask me about?"

"I was g-going to ask you about the dance actually," Fungus stammers, his already red cheeks turning a purplish shade of red as he twines his hands together and flicks quick, nervous eyes toward my face. "Do you have s-someone in mind who you want to invite to the dance?"

"Oh, c'mon, don't tell me that you actually give a damn about the dance!" I exclaim, a little surprised that someone like Fungus is going to show interest in something like a dance. No offense to the stammering monster, but he's not exactly a social guy. He can barely talk let alone ask someone to the dance! For both of our sakes, I point out, "It's just a stupid dance. You don't actually want to go, do you?"

The elevator doors fall open and Fungus looks at the floor where a big piece of chewing gum is stuck before he shrugs his shoulders and says, "M-maybe. Aren't you going to go?"

"Me? Nah, I don't really like any of the girls around here. Hell, the only girl I know is Celia Mae and Wazowski already has his eye set on her. 'Course, she did seem to have a thing for me though. Heh, I could invite her to the dance just to spite Wazowski!" I scheme with a wicked gleam in my eye as I step into the hallway and start down to my dorm room. Shooting a look at Fungus' frowning face, I add, "In all seriousness, I don't plan to invite anyone to the dance though. I'll just stay in that night and study like I always do. Speaking of which, here's my dorm, so I'm gonna call it a night. See you tomorrow."

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_Review please! :)  
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	50. Chapter IL

**Saints-Fan-12: Yeah, now would not be a good time for Randy to disappear! Thank you so much for reading this story! Have I mentioned just how much I missed talking to you? :)**

**honorstudent97: That is so true! *high fives you* Sexy monsters beat people any time, right? God, I wish that I was a cartoon sometimes. xD  
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**XxSgt KululuxX: You're very welcome for the chapter! I'm glad to hear that it made you feel better. I haven't seen The Conjuring before, but I take it that it's creepy? The last movie that officially creeped me out was Salo. That was just weird. *shivers* Let me know what you think of this update!  
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**Remy: Haha, that was pretty funny about how Funk flipped out in the last chapter! Do you think that he was trying to ask Randy to go to the dance with him? He was stuttering a lot there. ;P Thanks for hoping that I get my A/C fixed! I'm using this cheap, plastic fan for the moment. Can I come hang out in Queensland with you? It's really hot here. D: I'm glad that you're excited for the next few chapters! I'd say that the Boggivan stuff really starts happening in chapter 55 (I peeked ahead xD).  
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**jade4563: Aw, that's a shame about not having brown sugar! I'm not much of a baker though myself. I avoid food whenever possible. :P And hehe, I bet that you would choose to go with Randy, right? I know that's who I would choose! It's true that one-eyed Doom can't be the mysterious murderer after all. I wonder who it could be then. :P Hope you like this chapter!**

**90s Total Drama Pokemon: It's awesome to meet another SulleyxRandall fan! *high fives you* That's a great prediction about how Sulley and Randall might end up going to the dance together. They'd make a cute couple there, don't you think? I love long reviews, so it's all good! I've got about 180 chapters of this story written so far. Is that good news or bad news? I feel like I make stories too long. *hides* Thanks for reviewing!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I think that the stuttering is cute too, so you're not alone there! How long do you think that it will take before Randy finds out about Funk's feelings for him? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: The tensions in this story are definitely rising, I agree! Do you think that this story is starting to get more exciting? :D I haven't played Sonic Colors sadly. Is that for wii or for a different gaming system? I've just got a gamecube, haha. Unfortunately, I don't know who Wisps is, but I'll look him up! I posted my Sonic fic! It's called "Behind Amber Eyes" if you're interested!  
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**James95: There's a possibility that the disappearances could be murders, but I suppose that we'll just have to wait and see, huh? Anyway, I like your prediction about Funk! That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the review!  
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**Mysterious: I know, right? It's like "Scourge, be my boyfriend plz!" ...Yes, I want to date a fictional hedgehog. Does that make me weird? :P Oh, I ship JetxWave too! I ship a lot of Sonic couples. I think that it's weird how some people ship WavexTails though. Doesn't that seem weird? I mean, Tails is like 10 and Wave is like 18, right? x_x Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: I feel the amorous vibes in the air too, so it isn't just you! *high fives you* I haven't seen A Monster in Paris before. Is it good? I dunno why the Dean had to say that only guys can ask girls to the dance. She must be old school, you know? *rolls eyes at her* And d'awww, I'm so glad that you like my stories! That makes me so happy to hear. Thank you! :D  
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**dreyparara: I'd definitely say that we're starting to get toward the tragedy bit of this story. How do you feel about tragedies, btw? I'm a big fan of them. I love the bittersweet taste that they leave you with after reading them. Hehe, I think that Funk was trying to ask Randy to go to the dance with him! Do you think that Randy would've said yes to him? :P Thanks for commenting!  
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**badberry123: Ooo, so you made the connection between the disappearances and the murders, hm? You're right to think that Doom might not be the culprit after all! A more sinister force might be at work behind these mysterious disappearances! Hehe, Funk totally wanted to ask Randy to the dance! That was so obvious and Randy missed the cues. *facepalms* I'm glad that you're still liking the jealousy vibes going on between Sulley and Funk. They have their own sort of war going on, you know? I bet that Celia will say yes to Mike in the end, but we'll see! Haha, you were so right about Chet falling off of the balance beam! No way was he going to make it across it on his own. Johnny was definitely not expecting the shampoo question, that's for sure! I think that Chet shocked him senseless for a moment there. Ooo, are you a mind reader or what? Randy actually does end up showing Sulley the secret elevator in a future chapter! Funny you should mention that about Chet getting into a fight for Johnny because that actually does happen later in this fic! I'll definitely check them out at some point. Damn life for not having enough hours in a day! But wow, you doodle a lot, don't you? It sounds like you doodle as much as I write. God, I dunno if I could scare the PNKs or not. I'm not very scary looking. Unfortunately, I don't even look my age because I'm so small irl. Everyone thinks that I'm fourteen. *facepalms* I can see the two of us doing an epic job of playing matchmakers! That would be a lot of fun, don't you think? Ooo, your MU/MI merchandise sounds awesome! I'm going to see if I can remember all of the MU stuff that I have. Let's see...I have a Randy POP figure, a Randy and Mike scare pair, a Randy Xmas ornament, a Randy necklace, two other Randy figurines, a Randy and Randall plush, three MU posters, a MI poster, the ROR plushies, a Johnny shake 'n scare, a Johnny scare and roll, two other Johnny figures, Chet and Johnny plastic-y figures, a Johnny and a Randall life-sized cutout poster, and two ROR T-shirts. ...Noooo, I'm not obsessed with this movie. :P Your story about Scourge is so funny! I liked him immediately. I was just like "Ah, sexy hedgehog alert! I love this dude!" xD The womanizing type attracts me for some reason. I'm not sure if that's weird or not, but hey, I think that all of us girls like Scourge. Sonic X is my favorite too. Do you have any favorite Sonic X episodes? Sonic tunes are amazing! I have a lot of them on my mp3 player. :) Shadow the Hedgehog is great with how it goes farther into Shadow's story. Do you like Mephiles at all? He's the main reason why I like Sonic 06. Sonic Riders is just plain fun and the same with Sonic Heroes! Which team do you usually use for Heroes? Ooo, that sounds cool about your version of Mario Baseball! That would be awesome. God, same here, that's the thing that I hate about Mario games. Starting over is no fun! D: Honestly, I just watched Super Paper Mario online because I couldn't beat the game. I loooooove Dimentio though. I have a crush on a 2-D Mario character, oh god. xP And hey, writing me a novel is fine! We're both chatterers. xD  
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**Chapter IL  
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After saying goodbye to Fungus, I waste no time in cleaning up my desk, arranging my textbooks neatly on it, and only then do I allow myself to collapse on top of my bed. One-eyed Doom still isn't in our shared room yet, so I'm able to fall asleep without an unblinking crimson eye focused on me. I end up dreaming again. This time, I dream about Fungus inviting me to the autumn dance. Weird, huh? I guess that I do tend to have a lot of weird dreams though. I've heard monsters say that you have more dreams when you're sleep deprived. Looking at the dark circles under my eyes and the bloodshot veins in the corners of them, I'd definitely say that I'm sleep deprived.

The next morning, I wake to the shrieking of my alarm clock. I barely have the strength to reach across the bed to hit the snooze button. Figuring that I'll just skip breakfast and go to my first class instead, I allow myself to hit the snooze button not just once, but seven times. Doom seems to be getting annoyed with my antics because he starts shooting me long, evil glares whenever I accidentally look over in his direction.

Wednesdays are definitely not my favorite day of the week. Wanna know why? Well, I've got two of my least favorite subjects today. I have gym – ugh, just kill me now before Ms. Stanley does! – and science. Double the fun as a typical day where I only have one subject I hate.

Sliding out of bed, I shuffle across with floor with bleary eyes and snag my science textbook out from under my towering piles of books. Book in hand, I cross the room absentmindedly and can't help but wonder why Doom is still in the dorm room. Shouldn't he be heading to his class by now too? I'm already leaving for science a few minutes late.

Deciding not to debate this and let Doom make his own choices, I slink to the science classroom and have a very interesting class on how to make goo. Class was interesting enough, but Mrs. Jones didn't exactly bother to tell us what our goo is for. That means that goo ends up all over the place – in monsters' hair, on the ceiling, on the floor, and all over faces and hands. I've done a pretty darn good job of avoiding coating my scales in the sticky substance and am in the process of leaving the classroom with Fungus. Unlike me, the little monster seems to have an unlimited supply of energy and does not have dark circles under his eyes.

"So Randy," Fungus starts out as the two of us make our way toward the classroom door with our supplies tucked under our arms. I've put my slime in a little jar so I don't have to touch it. Having captured my attention, Fungus goes on, "Have you invited anyone to the dance yet?"

Oh god, is the speckled monster still going on about that stupid dance? I resist smacking my forehead with my palm and point out in what I think is a surprisingly patient voice considering the situation, "No, Funk, I haven't. Remember what I told you about the girls at this place?"

"I know that you said that you don't like them m-much, but I keep thinking that you're going to change your mind," Fungus admits with a small blush. "Everyone goes to the autumn dance!"

"Maybe you need to give your glasses a good wipe 'cuz I know someone who's not going to the school dance," I inform Fungus in a matter of fact voice. I ignore his confused look and point out, "That would be me."

As I take a step forward, someone flings a giant glob of slime across the floor. I'm gonna guess that the ball of goo was meant to hit me, but the ooze misses its mark and hits the floor in front of me instead. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to keep myself from stepping into the slime and accidentally put a foot into it. Cringing, I try and force my foot out of the gluey substance. In the process of doing this, I end up losing my balance and trip so I end up on the floor with my chin in slime. The worst part of this is the fact that the slime isn't clear or some ordinary color. Nope, this slime is bright neon purple and now it's all over my chin.

"Whoa, I almost didn't see you there, Randall. Having a bad day with the goo?" a familiar, sarcastic voice sounds from above me. I don't even have to look up to recognize Wazowski's voice. I purposefully ignore him and don't respond as the one-eyed cretin steps dangerously close to my face and continues on, "Did you hear about the autumn dance? Oh wait, of course you did! Everyone heard about the autumn dance. Guess who I'm going to invite?"

"Hm, let me guess. Oh, I dunno, Sullivan maybe?" I suggest sardonically since the whole world knows that Wazowski is going to invite Celia Mae aka "Cee" to the dance.

The wide grin spread across Wazowski's face immediately dissolves and morphs into an expression of complete confusion as Wazowski echoes me, "Sulley? Why would I invite Sulley to the dance? I'm inviting Cee, of course! I'm going to have the best date in the entire school! Just you wait and see!"

I don't bother replying to Wazowski and take the hand Fungus offers me, thinking that Wazowski is just as bad as Funk when it comes to understanding sarcasm. Once I'm on my feet, I grab a spare piece of paper towel lying on one of the teal counter tops in the science classroom. I use the paper towel to try and get the worse of the slime off of my face as Fungus and I step into the hallway. My heart sinks as I realize that I have gym next. This day really isn't gonna get any better, is it?

As soon as we're in the hallway again, Fungus has another question for me, no surprise there. He gives me a look out of the corner of one of his eyes and asks curiously, "Were you s-serious about Sullivan asking Wazowski to the dance?"

"Oh, gee, I wonder. What do you think?" I ask, thinking that I really should host a class on the art of sarcasm for both Fungus and Wazowski, especially after Fungus gives me a nonplussed look. Throwing my hands up into the air, I exclaim, "No! No, I wasn't serious about Wazowski asking Sullivan to that stupid dance. The only reason I brought it up was to get on Wazowski's nerves. Everyone knows that he's inviting Celia to the dance. Say, what's it gonna take for me to get you to understand sarcasm?"

Fungus blushes slightly and shrugs his shoulders before chewing on his lip, clearly debating whether or not to say anything else. He clearly thinks that I'm still safe to speak to since he says next, "I don't think that a guy inviting another guy to the d-dance is such a bad thing, do you? I mean, not all guys can ask a girl out and get her to say yes…"

I was about to accuse Fungus of being homosexual until his last sentence. There's the reason why Funk is so worried about the dance. He doesn't think that a girl is going to accept his invitation to it. Honestly, I kind of see where he's coming from. There are definitely more guy monsters than girl monsters at the university and who's going to accept someone like Fungus as a dance partner when there are plenty of other monsters out there who don't stutter over every other word?

More for Fungus' reassurance than for anything else, I say, "Yeah, I guess that there's nothing wrong with that. You'll get labeled as gay by the entire school, but if you're okay with that, then what the hell?"

"Hm," Fungus muses over this to himself, his typically smooth forehead wrinkled as he thinks hard about this. We reach the end of the hallway where I take the right walkway to gym and Fungus takes the left walkway to computer class or whatever class it is that he has next. Before we go our separate ways, Fungus asks me cautiously, "Would you ever consider inviting another guy monster to the dance, Randy?"

Thinking that we've gone over this dance thing one too many times, I give Fungus a look that tells him that I'm really done talking about this before I say in a clipped voice, "Funk, I've told you a thousand times that I'm not going to the dance. Do I need to tell you it again or have you gotten it through your head this time?"

"It's in my head now," Fungus promises me, his face so solemn that it's almost comical. "I was just wondering. I know that you're not going to the dance, but if you were, would you ever consider inviting a guy to it?"

"I dunno, probably not," I reply with a shrug of my shoulders, stepping backward as I do so. I'm usually not in such a hurry to get away from Funk, but he's being awfully annoying with this whole dance thing today. Deciding to change the subject before Fungus can come up with something else dance-related to ask me about, I tell him, "Alright, I've gotta get to gym class now and you need to get to computer-"

"It's music actually," Fungus interjects quickly.

"Same difference, but anyway, music class then," I rephrase my sentence for Fungus' sake. Smoothing my fronds back from my forehead, I tuck my glasses further onto my nose and get a handful of slimy, oozy purple goo onto the palm of my hand. Muttering a few curse words under my breath, I remember the report I'm supposed to be doing on an influential monster for the history of Monstropolis and add, "How about I meet you at the library after class? I've gotta do some research for my history project and something tells me that you should probably be doing some research for it too."

"That's a good point. I haven't started my history project yet," Fungus admits, not stammering for once. Odd. He only seems to stammer when he's scared or when he's talking about something embarrassing like the school dance.

"Alright then, I'll meet you at the library. See you after class," I tell Funk before turning and starting down the hallway towards the elevator. I'm not exactly in any hurry to get to gym glass, but I've got to get there sooner than later and there's no need to get Ms. Stanley on my bad side. She's already taken an immediate liking to Wazowski and an immediate disliking to me.

I take the elevator down to the main floor of the university and slip through the crowd of monsters swarming through the hallway on my way to the gym locker rooms. One-eyed Doom and his gang pass me on my way to the locker room. Doom stares at me for a few seconds too long. A shudder goes down my spine as I round the corner and wrench open the doorway to the locker room. I waste no time in selecting an empty locker, throwing my things inside of it, and then slamming the locker shut.

Just as I'm exiting the locker room, I hear two familiar voices – one that I want to hear and one that I'd really rather not hear. Sullivan is saying something I can't quite hear and Wazowski is replying to him in an animated voice. I catch bits and pieces of their conversation and realize that it has to do with the school dance. No doubt Wazowski is telling Sullivan all about how he invited Celia to the dance. Wonder who Sullivan is gonna take to the dance. I'm sure he has his choice amongst the girls. He is, after all, he school's top scarer.

Wondering why I feel a stab of jealousy in my gut, I turn and exit the gym locker room before I can try and figure out the reason behind my jealousy. I join the cluster of students already spread inside the gym. Ms. Stanley is standing in the midst of them, her sharp, bespectacled eyes missing nothing. I make a point to stay away from her and stand behind a particularly tall monster. Sullivan and Wazowski must be late for class because Ms. Stanley starts talking before they emerge from the locker room.

"Ahem! Class is starting, which means that all of you should have your eyes on me," Ms. Stanley says after clearing her throat. All gazes turn toward the gym teacher as she goes on, "I'm afraid to tell you that we will not be doing any more tennis. Today, we will be moving on to running."

About an equal amount of cheers and groans rise up from the students at these words. Apparently, half of the monsters here prefer running and half prefer tennis. I'm not sure which one I prefer yet, but I do know that I'm not much good at tennis, that's for sure. Of course, maybe I can partially blame that on Wazowski for trying to teach me how to hold my racket wrong…

"For today's running practice, we're going to have a relay. Now, considering the fact that all of you are college students, I expect you to know what a relay is. However, just in case you need to refresh your memory, a relay consists of two teams. Members from each relay team will race at the same time and participate in a race against the other relay team. Obviously, whichever team finishes the relay first wins. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'm going to sort you into groups. There will be group one and group two. Members of group one will line up on the right side of the room and members of group two will line up on the opposite side of the room," Ms. Stanley informs us.

My stomach twists into a knot at the thought of the relay. I'm not so good at team activities. Working alone is my kind of thing. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'll be getting any choice about the matter. Ms. Stanley has already started numbering students off. She reaches me after most of the other students have been sorted. Instead of just giving me a number like she did with all of her other students, Ms. Stanley decides to embarrass me.

"Ah, Mr. Boggs. How are your tutoring sessions with Mr. Wazowski going?" the teacher asks in what would be a friendly tone if I knew that she wasn't trying to embarrass me.

"Fine," I reply curtly, knowing that half of the class is staring at the back of my head. It occurs to me that teachers either seem to love me or hate me. Professor Knight and Dean Hardscrabble like me, but Mrs. Jones and Ms. Stanley seem to have marked me as their least favorite student.

"I see," Ms. Stanley says, looking like she's debating whether or not to humiliate me further. She decides against it and points to the right side of the room, ordering me, "Group one."

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_Review please! :)  
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	51. Chapter L

**Saints-Fan-12: *hugs back* It's great to be back on here and talking to you again! You'll get to find out about group one in this chapter. Hope you like it!  
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**honorstudent97: Haha, same here! Wouldn't it be awesome if we could disappear into this fic and be Randall for a few chapters before the real shit goes down? I think that you need a Sulley and I need a Johnny. :P  
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**jade4563: Ooo, good prediction! Sulley might invite Randall to the dance sooner than you think! *wink wink* I honestly forgot when their first kiss takes place. I guess that's what happens when you work on multiple fics. Omg, I think that you're just going to have to purchase some new brown sugar, don't you think? :P Your comment about Funk keeping tabs on who Randy talks to made me lol. I can see him doing that. :P Hope you like this chappie!**

**xBearingSecretsx: Yay, you're still reading this! *throws a party* I sort of thought that you had given up on it. Wow, that's a lot of youtube videos that you have to make! How come you have to make so many? I'd die from the pressure. :P But hey, I'm so glad that you liked the last twenty chapters despite the dark parts! Short reviews are just as great as long ones and I always appreciate them!  
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**Remy: God, I know, right? Ms. Stanley is such a horrible teacher. *shivers* I'd hate having gym too. I mean, I like walking, but I don't like gym activities much. :P Funk seems to bring up the dance every two seconds, doesn't he? You'll be reaching chapter 55 soon, so no worries! :) I'd totally love to come to Australia! It'd be awesome if we could hang out and stuff. I'm...surviving the heat with my little plastic-y fan. It doesn't work the best, but it's better than nothing, right? Thanks so much for reading!  
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**AL19: Hehe, yup, I'm back and I'm here to stay this time! *hugs you* I'm glad to hear that I was missed! I sort of figured that everyone would just kind of forget about me after a bit, you know? I'm definitely feeling a lot happier than I was before, that's for sure. I guess that makes two of us who are happy then, huh? xD I'm so glad to hear that you're liking this story so far! Don't ask me why, but I can't write without writing in first person these days. It just comes naturally to me, I guess. So have you seen Monsters University yet? :) It's great to talk to you again!  
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**90s Total Drama Pokemon: Hehe, I take it that you're relieved that Funk didn't actually ask Randall to the dance then, huh? It definitely seemed like he was going to for a minute there! He kept hinting about it anyway. Do you think that he'll eventually ask Randall to the dance? I'm so glad that you love long stories; I do too! I'll make sure to make this story at least two hundred chapters. Does that sound good? Thanks for commenting! :D  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Oh god, yes, it's so obvious that Funk likes Randall and Randall is so blind to it, isn't he? Randall needs a reality check! And mm, same, I would hate having a teacher like Ms. Stanley. Thanks for reviewing!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: I'll definitely try to see if I can get around to playing Sonic Colors at some point. Do you have any other favorite Sonic games? Thanks so much for liking the chapter!  
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**James95: Lol, yes, Mike is definitely quite the character in this story, isn't he? I agree with you about Funk; it's kind of hard for anyone to think that he's straight at this point. An anti-dance would be an interesting way for Sulley and Randall to get together. Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: Kirby is awesome! xD How about you date Kirby and I date Scourge? It sounds like a good plan to me. :P Yeah, people actually ship them! Seriously, what the fuck, right? I don't understand RougexShadow either. It's so obvious that Shadow doesn't like Rouge from Sonic '06! I like Rouge and Knuckles together though, how about you? And oh my god, I actually started writing a Shadmaria story at one point! Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**Mickfang27: Randall is acting a bit blind right now. You can tell that he needs his glasses. :P But yes, I agree with you; Sulley should ask Randall to the dance so that Funk gets jealous and Randy finally realizes his attraction to him! How do you think Randy will react to Funk's affections once he figures them out? Glad you liked the ReggiexJavier moment in Born to Please! There is so much tension between those two that you can just feel it in the air. I know, right? Chet needs to find someone more in his league to obsess over. *facepalms* A Monster in Paris sounds great! I'll have to check it out sometime. That's a good question about whether or not children's movies ever have sad endings or not. I really like tragic endings, you know? Hm...good questions about the murders! Thanks so much for reading this!  
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**badberry123: Woo, glad to hear that you liked the chapter again! :) You know, that is a very good point about dreams possibly predicting the future in this case. I'd say that you're right to think that. Funk's jealousy could definitely worsen Randy's paranoia. I think that's what would happen to me if I was in his shoes. Gym is going to be hell for Randy, I'll tell you that much. And oh my god, I love your prediction! That is such a good thought about Sulley asking Randall to the dance and Funk finally asking Randy to go with him only after Sulley asks. I can totally see that happening. *nods* Glad to hear that you liked the Born to Please chapter as well! I'd definitely like to think that Johnny saved Chet from falling because a part of him actually cares about the little crab. That would be sweet. Reg and Jav probably would've started fondling each other, so it's a good thing that Johnny coughed when he did. :P What makes me ship them? Well, they are standing next to each other a lot in the film if you watch for that and there's a moment during the charity scene where you can see Javier leaning on Reggie's shoulder all possessive-like. Plus, I love the idea of pairing the wild, insecure one with the hardcore druggie. Opposites attract, right? And oh yes, ketchup is so important. :P We should start calling Chet the ketchup crab. He needs a nickname! Do you have any nicknames? Sorry, randomness. xD Anyway, that's a good point about Sulley being jealous of Funk. Funk does get to spend quite a bit more time with Randall than he gets to spend with him. If someone asked me out of the blue about my shampoo, I'd be pretty damn shocked too. Summer holidays are awesome! I just love having more free time, but don't we all? Hell yes, I'm 4'11 and 71 pounds, so I am definitely what you call midget-y, especially for an 18-year-old. Looking young is not a good thing when you're trying to get people to hire you, believe me. How short are you? Omg, mistletoe...I can just imagine us drowning RandallxFunk and ChetxJohnny in it! *squeals* Shadow is hot too, I agree, and I also like Mephiles like I keep saying. How about you date Shadow and I date Scourge and we go on double dates? You know, since I'll never get a date irl...xD Oh god, I love that episode where the Chaotix ruin the party. They're such nuts. :P I also like the episode where Vector feels the need to kidnap Cream (seriously, wtf Vector? xD), the episode where the Chaotix runs the bar, and any other Chaotix episode really. What are your favorite Sonic songs? Live and Learn is probably my fave although I like a lot of them. Same thoughts here about Mephiles. I imagine one-eyed Doom sounding like Doom from Shadow the Hedgehog. He has a creepy voice imo. Woo, so you like Team Dark best then? Oh god, I could never make it through Team Rose because of Big. *shivers* I've only done the Chaotix level (what a surprise there :P). Monsters Baseball is an awesome title! Thanks so much for reviewing!  
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**Chapter L  
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I go to join the end of the line of the students on the right side of the gymnasium. Several pairs of eyes follow me as I slither across the room. My purple cheeks flame light pink since I know that the students are all staring at me because they're wondering why I have to be tutored. Thanks a lot, Ms. Stanley. You just made me the latest and greatest gossip in gym class.

As I come to a halt at the end of the line, the other monsters decide to dub me as not worth their attention because they quickly go back to their previous conversations. A loud squeaking sound comes from across the room as the doors to the gym locker room opens up and Sullivan and Wazowski spill into the gym.

"You boys are late," Ms. Stanley immediately informs them, mouth set in a straight line as she crosses the room to where the two monsters are standing. Apparently, even being the teacher's pet isn't going to save Wazowski from Ms. Stanley's wrath. Pointing an accusatory finger at the twosome, Ms. Stanley goes on, "Class started five minutes ago. I've already instructed the other students that we will be running relays today."

"I'm really sorry about being late, Ms. Stanley. It's just that I forgot to turn in my homework and so Mike here took the time to walk with me back to my dormitory to get it because of the whole buddy system," Sullivan explains politely to the gym teacher before shooting Wazowski a smile and saying, "Thanks, buddy."

I have a gut feeling that it was actually Wazowski who made the two of them late and that Sullivan is just being nice and taking the blame for it, but who knows? Surprisingly enough, Ms. Stanley seems taken with Sullivan's charm because she actually relents and says, "Ah, I see. Well, it's good to hear that some people paid attention to the Dean's message last night. Alright, Wazowski, go join group two on the left side of the room. Sullivan, you'll be joining group one on the other side of the room."

A small smile quirks the corners of my lips as Sullivan starts over in my direction. I'd bet all of my money, which isn't a lot, on Sullivan being a good runner. There's not much that the shaggy blue monster isn't good at. However, instead of joining the back of the line, a few of Sullivan's friends, members of his scare games team probably, wave him over to the front of the line.

Ms. Stanley walks briskly across the room and talks to us in a loud voice as she informs us, "Alright, class, you will each run from the front of your line to the opposite wall and back. You will actually have to touch the wall nearest me before starting back to your team. Whichever team finishes the relay first wins," Ms. Stanley explains in a serious voice before she smiles a little and adds, "This is a team challenge, so I would like to see you all acting like a team and encouraging one another. Is this clear?"

Everyone in the room nods although I inwardly groan. The whole "team atmosphere" concept is one that I've never really gotten a grip on. I've never really felt part of a team before. Of course, I could probably be the leader of "Team Nerd" if Fungus and I got into a group.

Ms. Stanley breaks into my thoughts and informs the class, "You will be starting on my whistle."

A long, tense silence engulfs the gymnasium as everyone impulsively holds their breaths in anticipation for the whistle. When it comes, both of the first runners from team one and two are off! George Sanderson is racing against Bile. Both teams erupt into loud cheers for their team members. I'm not one to open my mouth, but I do watch the race intently. I would have expected quite a gap to form between the two teams as time goes on, but surprisingly enough, that doesn't happen. The two teams stay surprisingly close to one another, making the race all that more exciting and just that much louder. My ears are ringing from all of the cheering and encouragement. It's getting to the point where I'm gonna end up with a migraine if these monsters don't shut their mouths pretty soon.

When it's Sullivan's turn, I find myself watching him a little more intently than I watched the other runners. Needless to say, he's just as good of a runner as I thought that he would be. He's by far the fastest monster in the entire gymnasium. He sprints across the room and has joined our team again faster than you can say one-two-three. Well, okay, maybe not quite that fast, but you get the picture.

Eventually, it comes down to the last two runners, who just so happen to be Wazowski and me. Great. The ending result of the race is going to weigh on my shoulders. I don't actually think that Wazowski is going to be all that great of a runner, but who am I to speak? I haven't ran around since…god, I don't even remember when I ran around last. Lizards slither, not run!

The cheering reaches an intensity as the runners from team one and two return to their lines neck-in-neck. Wazowski sends me long look out of the corner of his eye before the two of us take off running at the same time. It's clear from the very beginning who is going to win this race. I swing my arms back and forth and run with all my might, but my lizard body is no match for Wazowski. The cheers coming from team one immediately die down as this becomes clear. I can't say that I'm not surprised. Who would want to cheer for me?

Beads of sweat appear on my forehead and mix with the purple goo that dried on my forehead from earlier, causing long rivulets of salty purplish liquid to run down my face. I smack the opposite wall of the gym and then start back toward my team, unable to look them in the eyes as I run. My cheeks flare red from mortification and from the exertion of running as I sprint toward the finish line.

A loud eruption of cheering sounds from the opposite side of the gym as Wazowski crosses the finishing line and brings his team to victory. I cross the finish line several second later, hanging my head and breathing heavily. I know without looking up that most of my team members are glaring at me. Keeping my head down, I slink to the back of the group and consider trying out my camouflaging abilities. Now is definitely a time where the only thing that I really want to do is disappear.

Before I can go invisible, Ms. Stanley steps over to Wazowski and gives him a beaming smile. You never would have guessed that she was chastising him about being late for class earlier. Giving the bright green eyeball a handshake, Ms. Stanley says, "Congratulations, Mr. Wazowski and the rest of team two. You've certainly showed off some team bonding skills today. Gym for today is dismissed. Congratulations once again on your victory!"

Wazowski grins back at Ms. Stanley, soaking up the praise. Wanting to get away from my glowering "teammates" as quickly as possible, I dodge students lingering across the gym and am the first to reach the locker room. I could take a shower, but I don't feel like lingering here today. Besides, I told Funk that I'd meet him at the library after class and there's no need to keep him waiting because I decided to take a stupid shower.

I head straight to my locker and start fiddling with the lock on it before I hear loud footsteps behind me. Geez, I guess that someone else decided to skip a shower too. Hoping that it's not Wazowski come to rub his superior running skills in my face, I tense and purposefully tilt my body away from the intruder. The footsteps come to a halt and a large shadow falls over me. Whoever has entered the area clearly wants to talk to me.

"Hey Randall. Nice job today. Running can be hard. I'm not much of a runner myself," Sullivan's deep, smooth voice sounds from behind me.

I laugh mirthlessly and turn to face him, wiping the sweat off of my forehead as I dismiss Sullivan's words, "Yeah, right. The whole team is mad at me because I lost for them. Don't play dumb with me, Sullivan."

"I'm not. I'm just saying that I know you tried your best and that's what matters," Sullivan says simply. I think about his words and realize that they are true for the most part. I did try my best, but is that really what matters? Everyone else seems to think that winning or losing is what really matters. Going on before I can protest, Sullivan says, "I'd suggest running on your hands and, er, second pair of hands though. You might find that a little easier."

I consider Sullivan's suggestion and think about what it would be like to run on the ground with all eight of my lizard limbs. Seeing potential in it, I nod succinctly and say, "I'll think about it. Thanks for the tip."

"Hey, no problem," Sullivan replies with a friendly, white-toothed smile.

I consider saying more to the polka dotted monster, but decide against it. Wazowski will probably come barging into the room and any moment and he'll obviously have a lot to say about seeing Sullivan and me together. I turn back to my locker and start fiddling with it. After a few minutes of realizing that Sullivan isn't going away, I glance over my shoulder at him, more curious than annoyed as I ask, "Is there something else that you want?"

"Yeah, actually. I was just wondering if you happened to have a partner for the school dance yet. If you don't, do you want to go with me? …As friends, of course," Sullivan adds quickly before I can jump to the wrong conclusion.

My pulse starts racing and I glance at Sullivan in shock before I shake my head to clear it and wonder if my imagination is getting the better than me as I repeat, "What?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the autumn dance with me. As friends," Sullivan repeats, looking like he's actually blushing under all of that thick turquoise fur of his. I've gotta admit that it's kind of cute when he blushes.

Still unsure how I got so lucky to be the one who Sullivan happened to ask out to the school dance, I open my mouth to give him my immediate answer before realizing that I shouldn't make myself look too easy. Instead of agreeing to his request, I tilt my head at the bigger monster and implore, "Why? Why do you wanna take me to the autumn dance? There are a hundred or more girls here at Monsters University. You could take any of them to the dance and not just 'as a friend' either."

"I doubt that I could take any of them to the dance. Probably half of them wouldn't agree to go with me and we both know that Mikey would kill me if I asked Celia to go to the dance with me," Sullivan says ruefully.

A genuine chuckle comes from my lips as I send Sullivan a razor sharp toothy smile and reply, "Heh, he'd probably hang you from the ceiling fan in the middle of the night."

"I wouldn't put that past little Mikey. He's pretty defensive of Celia. Anyway, I don't really like any of the girls at the school the much. I'd rather go with a friend to the dance," Sullivan informs me.

I blink at him twice, still a little confused. I don't get why Sullivan would want to take me out to the dance, especially when he seems all buddy-buddy with "little Mikey" lately. I decide to point this out and say, "What about Wazowski? I would've thought that you would've asked him to the dance."

"Yeah, well, he's got Celia, you know? I wouldn't want him to give up his chances with her for me," Sullivan says, starting to shift uncomfortably at my words. "Look, if you don't want to go, it's no big deal. I can find someone else to go with. I'll just ask Scott or Art to go with me."

"Nah, don't do that. I never said no to you, did I?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Sullivan. I take a step closer to him and drop my tone of voice as I murmur, "I do want to go with you. I just wanted to know why. If Wazowski wasn't obsessed with Celia, would you have asked him to the dance over me?"

I hate the way my words come out. They make me sound like a jealous lover, but I can't hold the question back. There isn't anything that I hate more than being second best. I think that it's obvious that I'm already second best enough of the time in scaring class due to a certain fuzzy blue monster.

Sullivan thinks for a moment before he shakes his head and replies genuinely, "No, I still would have asked you." Hearing this surprises me and I immediately open my mouth to speak. Sullivan laughs a deep, friendly sound and speaks before I can, saying, "And before you ask why, it's because I don't feel like Wazowski is the type I'd want to bring with me to a dance."

"Really? And I am the right type then?" I ask, trying to uncover any ulterior motives that Sullivan might have for bringing me to the dance.

"Yeah, I'd say that you're the right type," Sullivan admits with an almost shy smile in my direction. He raises an eyebrow at me and asks, "So are we on for the dance then?"

"Sure, Sullivan," I give in before narrowing my emerald eyes into slits. Stepping forward once more, I place a webbed fingertip on Sullivan's chest, adding, "But if I find out that you're doing this just to play me for a fool or to embarrass me, the deal is off. Got that?"

Sullivan watches the finger I have planted on his chest as he murmurs, "I wouldn't do something like that. Maybe Mike would, but I wouldn't."

As if right on cue, Wazowski rounds the corner at that very minute, already going on, "Sulley, I'm thinking about asking Celia out to the dance next, but I need your help deciding something. Should I give her something before I ask her out to the…ahh! My eyes! I'm scarred!"

Wazowski immediately throws his sharp-nailed hands over his eyes and gives Sullivan and me a look of horror as he says, "What are you doing with him, Sulley? Next thing I know, the two of you will be holding hands and then kissing!"

Sullivan turns pink again and blushes, but I send him a wink to tell him that I've gotten the situation under control as I turn to Wazowski and point out, "Only in your dreams, Wazowski, only in your dreams." Wazowski opens and closes his mouth speechlessly as I turn to Sullivan and give him an amiable wave, pointing out, "Guess I'd better head to the library. I've got some research to do. See you around."

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_Review please! :)  
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	52. Chapter LI

**Saints-Fan-12: I'm so glad that you're excited! :D Now I totally need to see Despicable Me 2 ASAP because I'm really excited for it! Let me know what you think of this chappie.  
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**honorstudent97: *tries to send you a Sulley into your life* Let's see how that works, hm? :P I really like tragedies for some reason. I find them more meaningful than happy fics, so pretty much all of my stories end tragically.  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Aw, yay, I'm so glad to hear that you liked the last chapter so much! Hehe, I hope that Sulley and Randall are holding hands and kissing soon too! I understand what you mean about losing interest in things. I guess that happens to all of us at times. Are the contests fun, I hope? And omg, yeah, let's have Doom throw Mike in the janitor's closet! Hope you like this chapter!**

**jade4563: Sulley blushing is pretty adorable, isn't it? Then again, Randall blushing is pretty darn cute too. I love blushing monsters! But anyway, that's a good theory! It seems like something always comes up when Sulley and Randall are supposed to spend time together, you know? :P Thanks for reading!**

**Remy: Hehe, who doesn't love smooth Randy? He can act all sexy when he wants to. *smirks* I'm sure that Sulley appreciates it. I feel bad for him in regards to gym class too! I honestly really don't like Mike, so I don't blame Randy for wanting to murder him after all that. Aw, there's no need to thank me! Thank you for taking the time to leave such nice comments on my story! I really appreciate it! It doesn't sound like you had a very fun weekend. *hugs you* I'm wishing you luck for your history exam! Let me know how it goes, okay? I'm sure you'll do okay!  
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**AL19: Aw, that's so sweet of you to say that you wouldn't forget about me even after four months! *hugs you* I'm getting all emotional right now because I'm a sap. xP So you like first-person stories the best too? They're my favorites for sure. I'm so glad that you got a chance to watch Monsters University! What did you think of Randall's character in it? He seemed a bit OOC to me, so I sort of made my Randall in this story a bit more like the MI Randall than the MU Randall as you can probably tell. Thanks so much for reading this!  
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**90s Total Drama Pokemon: Aw, you are so welcome! Thank you for taking the time to leave such awesome comments on this story! If I keep getting comments, maybe I'll make it even longer than two hundred chapters! So you're happy that Sulley asked Randy to the dance? :) It's not embarrassing to jump up and down over it! I love it when people get really into my stories. Thanks again for the great comment!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Hehe, same thoughts here about Mike! *smirks at him* But yeah, it's pretty obvious that Funk doesn't want Randy going to the dance with Sulley, isn't it? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Oh yeah, it's definitely a date even if Sulley tries to pass it off as something else. *nods* Ooo, I love Sonic Heroes! What's your favorite team to play as in it? Sorry, I know that I keep blabbing about Sonic. I'm a Sonic nut. xD  
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**James95: Oh god, yeah, yaoi fangirls would've made the situation crazy! Mike can outrun Sulley in the movie? I actually never really paid attention to that in the film. :P At least Sulley is trying to convey his feelings to Randall, right? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: KnucklesxRouge is so adorable, isn't it? I love how Knuckles was blushing like crazy and trying to deny that he liked Rouge after saving her and Rouge is just like, "Yeah, right". xD They're pretty cute in Sonic X together too, don't you think? Maybe I should post my Shadmaria story sometime! Glad you liked the chappie!  
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**badberry123: Hiya! New icon, I see? Very awesome! *high fives you* I'm glad to hear that you thought that the last chapter was romantic. I was trying to give off some romantic vibes with it. Damn Mike for completely spoiling the moment. He always shows up at the very worst times, doesn't he? I have a good feeling that your prediction is right too. ;) If I remember correctly, Funk does ask someone else to the dance, yeah. I might be thinking of a different story though. Sorry, I wrote this way back in March, so I forget about the details in a lot. Yay, thanks for reading the Born to Please chapter too! Carrie totally got what she deserved, I agree. She had that coming! Chet's cute when he gets all defensive of Johnny, isn't he? Gotta love him! Randall is going to have more dreams and they will definitely have to do with the future in case you're wondering. Oh god, yeah, it's like a total love triangle thing between Chip, Reg, and Jav. Chip and Jav end up sharing a bed several times before Reg can even get the nerve to tell Jav that he likes him. *facepalms* Glad that you like my nickname for Chet! I have nicknames for everyone in ROR because I spend too much time thinking about that sort of thing. Lol, where did your online nickname come from if you don't mind me asking? Hey, it's cool to be short! *high fives you* But yeah, this is when it doesn't pay to be small. We'd totally be like cupids with our mistletoe, hehe! It's settled then - you, me, Shadow, and Scourge are totally going on a double date! We'll have so much fun on it! I promise to keep my hands off of Shadow if you don't touch Scourge. :P I'd like to get a date irl, but nobody will ever like an ugly chick like me, so I've given up on that. xD Yeah, I love the Chaotix, but I guess that's no secret. I looooooove Catch Me if You Can! It makes me want to dance and I'm not much of a dancing person, so yeah. Team Dark is epic, I agree! I'm not much of an Omega fan, but I really like Shadow and Rouge! Lucky you for being free of the Big torture! I've completed all of the Chaotix levels, but that's it. Have you done any Chaotix levels? I still like the name for your fic - it sounds super cool! Thanks for reading!  
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**Chapter LI  
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After saying goodbye to Sullivan and exiting the locker room, I trace my path back to the elevator and stare at its steel door as I travel up to the fourth floor, completely lost in thought. I'm still really shocked that Sullivan asked me out to the autumn dance. He had his choice among hundreds of girl and guy monsters, but he chose me. My only question now is why. He says that I'm the right type, but what exactly does that mean?

Deciding to think about it later, I step out of the elevator as soon as the doors to it slide open. Weaving my way around monsters scurrying this way and that, I reach the library a few minutes later. Not surprisingly, Fungus is already there. He probably ran straight here after his music class or whatever it was that he had. Speaking of running, I bet that Fungus is a good runner. Well, a better one than me anyway.

I cut straight across the gymnasium to the smaller bean-shaped monster and skip the niceties, muttering, "I hope that your class went better than mine."

"Yours was that b-bad?" Funk stammers, a look of sympathy crossing his face as he goes on, "Music was alright, I suppose. We didn't do anything all that interesting, but it was likely better than gym."

"It sure as hell was better than gym," I sigh wearily, leaning up against one of the bookshelves, still feeling slightly exhausted from gym and just from the general stress of college life. "Let's just say that I could've used your running abilities today. Anyway, have you decided who you're gonna research yet for our history of Monstropolis project?"

"Oh, um, n-no, not yet," Fungus stammers with a blush. The blush turns into a frown as Fungus admits, "I don't think that I would've been much of a help to you though. I'm not all that good of a runner."

"You don't have to be a good runner to be better than me," I point out dryly. "Just about everyone is a better runner than me. Oh well, I signed up to become the university's top scarer, not best athlete, right? Screw the jocks and the cheerleaders. Say, while you decide which famous monster you're going to do your research project on, would you mind giving me a hand finding a book on Henry J. Waternoose? He's the founder of Monsters Inc."

"Of course I can give you some help," Fungus says, nodding vigorously and almost losing his tacky blue cap in the process. Before it can go flying off, Fungus grabs it hastily and crams it back on his head. I narrow my eyes suspiciously at him, still thinking that it's weird just how protective Fungus is of that cap.

Deciding not to comment on Funk's new dressing habits, I start pacing back and forth in front of the large bookshelves in the library in an attempt to find a book that has something to do with Mr. Waternoose. I'm not gonna get anywhere with my research paper unless I know a thing or two about the famous monster.

Unfortunately, my mind doesn't seem to want to stay on the task at hand and immediately wanders to other things. …Like Sullivan. I still haven't quite wrapped my head around the fact that he decided to ask me to the dance out of every other monster on the campus.

"Randy? Randy? Um, Randall Boggs?" I suddenly notice that someone is calling my name and blink out of my daydreams to find Fungus standing in front of me with a puzzled sort of look on his face. He gives me a little wave and says, "Are you okay there, Randy? You looked kind of out of it."

"I'm fine. I was just, you know, thinking," I say, my words sounding weak and unconvincing even to my own ears. Fungus gives me a dubious look, so I try again, "What I mean is that I was just thinking about how I'm gonna start my history paper. But anyway, what do you want?"

Fungus flinches slightly at my accusatory words and says quickly, "N-nothing really. You just t-told me to help you with your research and I just wanted to tell you that I found a book on Henry J. Waternoose. Apparently, there are three generations of Henry Waternooses, so I'm looking for books on the original Waternoose for you. I found one book already, but there's just one problem."

"Great," I sigh sarcastically. "Why is there always a problem?" Looking guilty even though the predicament isn't his fault in the slightest, Fungus shrugs his shoulders and looks at his feet. I sigh melodramatically and add, "Okay, so what's the problem? Might as well tell me what it is at this point, huh?"

"Right. Um, it's just that the book is way up there and we're way down here," Fungus informs me, pointing to the very top of the bookshelf. I follow his gaze and find that I have to crane my neck backward in order to see the book that Fungus is pointing at. Sure enough, its black spine has the name "Henry J. Waternoose" written on it. Funk is right though; the book is a long way up and we're a long way down. How are we supposed to get to that damn book? It just sort of figures that it would be out of reach.

I turn my head and start scanning the room for something to reach the book with. Nothing catches my attention until I notice a ladder propped up on the far side of the spacious library. Since nobody is using it, I turn to Funk and direct him, "Fungus, get me that ladder, won't you? I'm going to use it to get that damn book."

"Yes, Randy! Right away," Fungus nods before taking two steps and hesitating. He glances back over his shoulder and adds, "Are you sure that you're feeling alright though? You normally call me Funk and you just called me Fungus right then…"

"Huh? Oh, I guess I did, didn't I?" I murmur absentmindedly, wondering why I'm suddenly so distracted. Yeah, I had a long night last night, but that doesn't mean that I should be so tired that I can't even focus on what I'm saying. Dismissing the matter, I give Fungus a pointed look and then nod to the ladder.

As the little speckled monster scurries off to fetch the tall ladder for me, I notice a familiar bright green eyeball stride into the library looking like he's walking on sunshine. Ugh, it's Wazowski, the very monster that I do not want to see right now. I purposefully turn myself away from the library's entrance and pick up a random book, pretending that I'm looking through it even though I don't even know the title of the book. The last thing I wanna hear about is about how Wazowski has been dubbed the running champion by his teammates after his victory in gym earlier. Maybe if I mind my own business and keep my nose in this book, Wazowski will hopefully leave me alone.

"Hey Randall!" Fungus says loudly a moment later, causing me to cringe and cast a look over my shoulder at the lime green cyclops as Fungus continues on in a loud voice, "I got the ladder!"

There is a loud clunk as Fungus props the tall ladder up against the bookshelf. I immediately shush him and put a finger to my lips to signal for the smaller monster to be quiet. Fungus nods, obviously understanding what I want even if he's not sure why I'm trying to get him to be so cautious. I explain the situation to him by nodding over my shoulder and whispering one word, "Wazowski."

"Oh," Fungus says, immediately seeming to understand the need for silence. He drops the tone of his voice several notches and whispers, "Want me to hold the ladder steady for you while you get the book?"

"Yeah, why don't you do that? Knowing me, I'll probably knock the ladder over and end up face down on the floor," I mutter as Fungus walks over to the ladder and holds one side of it steady.

With my destination in sight, I start slinking up the ladder. It takes several seconds for me to reach the very top of the ladder and even then I have to struggle to reach the book about Henry J. Waternoose. Trying to keep my balance, I wrap my tail around the top step of the ladder and then extend myself several feet into the air to swipe at the book. I miss it the first time, but manage to snag the edge of it the second time. Book now safely in hand, I return my feet to the ladder and take a moment to skim through the pages of the book. It looks interesting enough. There are several pictures sprinkled throughout the text and it seems like an informative book overall.

"Hey Randall! Guess who's going with me to the dance?" a loud, obnoxious voice calls to me from several feet below my ladder.

Completely caught off guard, I whirl around and would've caused the ladder to tip over if Fungus hadn't been holding it still. Glaring down at Wazowski, I hiss at him, "Will you be quiet?! Some people are actually trying to get stuff done around here! What do you want?"

"Touchy, aren't you? Oh, I know why. It's because you can't get anyone to go to the autumn dance with you. That's really a shame," Wazowski says, feigning sympathy toward me before his mouth splits into a wide grin and he says, "Cee said yes to going to the dance with me. What a night of romance I have ahead of me!"

"Send Celia my condolences," I mutter in a voice just loud enough for Wazowski to hear as I turn and start back down the ladder, adding, "Anyway, someone did happen to invite me to the dance."

Now it's Wazowski's turn to look startled. If he had been standing on a ladder too, I bet that he would've fallen off of it. I try not to laugh from the comical look on his face as the eyeball stammers, "W-what? Someone asked you to the dance?" The little cretin gives me an incredulous look before his eyes narrow at me suspiciously and he points out, "You do know that it's supposed to be the guy who asks the girl out to the dance, right?"

"Obviously," I say in an even voice, finding Wazowski's antics slightly amusing.

The cyclop's face contorts in confusion as he tries to register what I'm saying. Finally, he points out, "So what you're saying is that a guy monster asked you out to the dance?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. You got a problem with it?" I ask Wazowski, not even caring if he thinks that I'm gay because his expression is just too funny to pass up.

"Uh…no. But that means, um, are you gay?" Wazowski questions me, a sort of half-confused, half-suspicious look on his face even though the information he's asking for isn't exactly any of this business.

"No, I'm not," I reply, tossing my head and smoothing my fronds as I gracefully descend down the last few steps of the ladder and turn to look Wazowski in the eyes – er, eye. "Two guys can go to the dance together as friends if they don't wanna invite girls to the dance, can't they?"

Wazowski seems to take a long time to think about this as if he thinks that there might be some rule against two guys going to the dance together. He can't come up with a reason why I shouldn't go with a guy monster to the dance and finally admits, "Um, I guess so. It's not normal, but I guess that there's nothing wrong with it."

I nod curtly to dismiss the subject and start across the floor to an unknown destination with my book tucked under my arm. I abandon the ladder where I left it, figuring that the librarian can take care of it later if she doesn't like where I left it.

Two sets of hurried footsteps sound from behind me as I step across the room. Hey, who knew that I was so popular? Turning, I find myself face-to-face with Wazowski. Raising an eyebrow at him, I ask in exasperation, "What do you want now? You creamed me during gym, I know, so you don't have to rub it in my face, and yes, I know that you're taking Celia Mae to the dance. What else do you want from me?"

If I had been talking to Fungus and not Wazowski, he would have immediately backed off. Unfortunately, I am not talking to Fungus and am talking to a certain one-eyed imbecile who does not know when to keep his mouth shut.

"Well, who asked you to the dance? You can't just say that you got asked out to the dance by someone and then not tell us who asked you to the dance," Wazowski informs me a matter-of-factly, curiosity shining in his hazel eye.

I consider refusing to tell Wazowski who asked me to the dance, but then decide what the hell? It might make Wazowski mad to hear that his buddy asked someone like me out to the dance, and believe me, getting on Wazowski's nerves is what I do best.

"If you really need to know, it was Sullivan who asked me," I say, soaking in Wazowski's expression of complete wide-eyed shock. His jaw drops and he just sort of stares at me for a long moment while I probe, "Are we done here?"

After registering his initial shock, Wazowski blinks the surprise away and asks, "Sulley asked you out to the dance like as friends? I know that Sulley isn't gay. I just…wow. I know that he likes you for some weird reason or another. I guess it could be because you're the school's second best scarer, but still!"

"If you've got a problem with it, I suggest you take it up with Sullivan himself. Otherwise, get lost. I've got studying to do and I'm sure that you've got something better to do than discuss dance partners with me," I inform Wazowski, crossing my arms and tapping my foot impatiently.

Wzowski stares at me for another long moment, still looking like he has a lot more to say to me before he notices the gleam of coiled purple hair from across the room. Sullivan and I are immediately forgotten as the eyeball practically throws himself across the room in the direction of the purple-haired girl, exclaiming, "Celia Weelia, yours truly is here!"

I flinch at Wazowski's terrible sense of romance and turn to Fungus, pointing out, "Well, I guess you could say that took care of him. Say, what's eating you?"

When I turn back to Fungus, I notice that he's wearing a strange expression on his face, one that I haven't seen there before. Something is obviously bothering him, but what?

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_Review please! :)  
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	53. Chapter LII

**Saints-Fan-12: Wow, you liked it that much? Thank you! *hugs* You'll get to find out what's bothering Funk in this chapter!  
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**honorstudent97: Hehe, you're reminding me of Finding Nemo! I wish that Finding Dory would come out already. I'm so impatient. But yeah, fairy-tale endings just don't do it for me. They seem sort of fake, don't you think?  
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**jade4563: You're definitely right about sparks flying! Unfortunately, they are probably not the romantic sparks that we were hoping for, huh? Mike and Funk are actually sort of similar in how they disapprove of their friends' relationships, you know? Thanks for reading!**

**XxSgt KululuxX: Yay, I'm so happy that you liked the chapter so much! *dances around from excitement* I totally agree with you that it's more adorable when the big, tough-looking characters blush. It's just like *MAJOR SQUEAL*. But anyway, Funk better stay in line or else and Sulley had better give Randall a dance that he'll always remember. Ooo, can I join you in hanging Wazowski from the ceiling fan? He totally deserves that and more. No need to apologize. I do not like Mike at all. I'm sure that you've noticed that though, huh? Thanks so much for commenting on this!  
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**dreyparara: Haha, you didn't expect that to happen? What were you expecting to have happen next out of curiosity? Hope you're still enjoying the story!  
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**Villains' Bad Girl: Yeah, I saw Monsters University online the night that it came out! :D That's so awesome that you got a Sulley plush! I got ones of the ROR dudes when they went on sale. What was your favorite part of the movie? Nah, I don't really use skype and gmail anymore. I'm mostly on here at nights.**

**Remy: You're welcome for the new chapter and no problem about wishing you luck on your history exam! It sounds like you did awesome on it! You must be a pretty devout studier, huh? I could never get myself to study much for tests. I'm so lazy. :P But hm, I do think that Funk was trying to work up the courage to ask Randall to the dance, but he just didn't have the nerve to, you know? I feel bad for him as well. *hugs Funk* Mike's reaction was laughable and I am totally with you on not being the best athlete. I walk for "exercise", but that is it. No sports for me. Thanks for reading!  
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**LuluCalliope: I had some stalker issues with my last account, so that's why I've got my PMing system turned off. There are too many weirdos online these days. x_x But hey, you can always talk to me on here. I'm a bit busier than I used to be, but I'm still around. :)**

**AL19: I'm with you there; when I read in a character's POV, it's like I can almost disappear into their lives for a little bit, you know? I'm just still so happy that you got to watch MU! I'm trying to get all of my friends to see it. Did you have a favorite character in it? I think that Randall actually said "Mike" instead of "mate" there, but yeah, he still sounded Australian! Thank you for continuing to read this!  
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**90s Total Drama Pokemon: Awesome! *high fives you* I'm so glad to hear that you're going to keep commenting. That means that I'll make this fic as long as possible! Wazowski's reaction to Sulley asking Randall to the dance was pretty funny. Do you think that Funk is going to be really jealous of the two of them going to the dance together? Good question about the fluff! Are you a fluff fan? Sorry, so many questions, haha. But omg, I have the exact same theory about Randall's fronds! I think that they're like a turn on spot for him. ;)  
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**BloodRedRoses04: You are so right! A certain someone is not going to be happy about Randall and Sulley going to the dance together! Thanks for commenting!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Glad to hear that I'm not the only Sonic nut out there! *high fives you* I definitely think that you're sensing some jealousy in Funk! Hope you like this chapter!  
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**James95: I'm glad that you found the last chapter funny! I tried to add some comical moments to it. Fungus is going to be pissed about Sulley inviting Randall to the dance, isn't he? It seems like no one is straight except for Mike these days. :P Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Mysterious: I always call the pairing Knouge. :D Rouge is probably the prettiest of the Sonic girls in my opinion. What do you think? I just checked and I never actually finished the Shadmaria fic. Guess I should do that sometime, eh? Thanks for liking the chappie!  
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**Mickfang27: I feel really bad for Fungus right now too. He is definitely feeling upset at Sulley and probably a bit betrayed since he thinks that he's Randall's best friend. *nods* Hehe, Mike almost had a heart attack there, didn't he? Okay, this probably sounds mean, but I'd like it if the librarian tossed him out of the library! The scream extractor is actually going to end up playing a major role in this story, funny that you should mention it. Thanks for reading!**

**badberry123: You're very welcome! I think that changing your icon to Funk was a great idea! I usually change my icon every few months or so because I get bored of them otherwise, you know? I'm happy to hear that you liked the last chapter. Of course Randall's book had to be on the top shelf, haha. Isn't that the way things always work? Mike just about had a heart attack when he learned that Sulley and Randall are going to the dance together. Funk is definitely going to be steamed, that's for sure. I bet that he does decide to go to the dance just so he can keep a close eye on a certain someone. ;) Glad to hear that you're still liking Born to Please as well! Nancy Kim has always been one of my favorite characters, so that's why I gave her more of a role in the story. I try to keep my stories similar to the movie, but not identical to it because it would be boring to reread the movie plot all over again, don't you think? The RORs will lose to the OKs though and that will be a massive blow for Johnny. ...Let's just say that Javier and Chip end up not doing it behind closed doors and end up on the internet together. :P That's how Reg finds out about them. And their relationship is complicated to say the least. It starts out as sex only and turns into more than that later down the road. Oh god, I have so many fic ideas and random stories floating around my computer that I can't even keep track of them as sad as that sounds. *facepalms* Ah, I understand about your nickname now. I use some creepy icons online, so it's all good. Hm, how about we go to the cinema? I don't really eat at restaurants and usually just sit there looking awkward. xD I love Rouge although I've never been a Shadouge shipper. Who do you like pairing Rouge and Shadow with if you don't mind my asking? Bleh, I never liked Bingo Highway for some reason. I always try to hurry past that level. :P Good question, but I honestly couldn't tell you that because I don't know much about baseball. *blushes* I dunno much about sports in general. What do you think though? Thanks for commenting!  
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**Chapter LII  
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I raise a curious eyebrow and wait for Fungus to speak. He's obviously got a problem with something from the odd expression on his face. Finally, he sends me a dubious look and asks, "You're going to the dance with Sullivan? I thought that you said that you weren't going to go to the dance with anyone."

Oh god, not the stupid dance again! I groan to myself having forgotten just how much Funk insisted on pestering me about the dance earlier. Trying to stay patient and not snap at him since I know that my snappiness makes the speckled monster's stuttering worse, I say, "I had a change in plans, I guess. I've never been to a school dance before, so when Sullivan asked me whether or not I wanted to go with him, I thought what the hell? I might as well go. Why? Does it bother you or something? You could always ask a girl out and go yourself or you could ask me to ask someone for you. Yeah, I'd do that for you under the rare circumstance."

Fungus looks thoughtful, but doesn't respond to me at first. When he finally opens his mouth again, I expect him to ask me to find a girl for him to go to the dance with. However, the little monster surprises me and asks instead, "But w-why do you want to go with Sullivan? I don't trust him and neither should you."

"Don't tell me who I should or shouldn't trust," I snap, forgetting all about how I was trying not to be edgy with Funk. "I happen to trust Sullivan and I know that he's not trying to trick me into anything if that's what you think. Look, I don't want to talk any more about this unless you want me to ask someone out for you, okay?"

"Okay," Fungus says meekly, always one to back down after things don't go his way.

"Alright, so did you decide who you're gonna do your history project on or not?" I ask Fungus, raising an eyebrow at him. Funk thinks and then shakes his head once. Getting a little annoyed with listening to Wazowski coo and lovey-dovey talk to Celia in the corner of the library, I say, "Well, I suggest you get working on that while I go back to my dorm room and start studying. I've got a long way to go before my paper is anywhere near ready to turn in."

"But what about the whole buddy system t-thing?" Fungus asks me worriedly as he starts twisting his orange fingertips together. "Remember what the Dean said about the buddy system?"

"She just gave us a helpful suggestion. She never said that we have to use the buddy system or anything," I point out before adding, "Besides, are you really afraid that someone is going to kidnap you out of the school hallway?"

Fungus looks around warily like he really does think this as he pulls his bright blue cap down over his eyes as if to try and protect his identity. Finally, he murmurs weakly, "N-n-no…"

"Great. Then you'll be fine here on your own," I point out, sending a disgusted look in Wazowski's and Celia's direction before adding, "I'll see you tomorrow or Friday. Good luck with that project. You're gonna need it."

With that said, I leave troubled Fungus in the corner of the library and proceed back upstairs to my dorm room. Once I arrive there, I plop down at my desk and prop my book on Henry J. Waternoose open. Wanting to take notes on the text so that I don't have to reread the whole thing again later, I grab my pencil and my notebook before beginning to read. For starting up the biggest scaring industry in Monstropolis, I can't say that Henry Waternoose led a particularly interesting life. In fact, he's been downright boring to read about so far. His book is practically putting me to sleep and it's not even seven 'o clock in the evening.

Despite the monotony of the boring book, I manage to scrape a whole page of notes off about Mr. Waternoose before I decide to call it a night. Even though I'm wearing my glasses, my vision blurs and I can't seem to see a thing. It must be a sign that I'm tired.

Tired or not, I decide to go to bed earlier and slink across the room before spreading myself out under my sheets, glad that one-eyed Doom is still off doing god-knows-what. It's always five times as hard to fall asleep with his unblinking blood red eye directed in my direction. Once I fall asleep, I dream about the dance, which is probably to be expected considering the fact that I talked about the dance with four different monsters over the past twenty-four hours. In my dream, I'm hanging out with Sullivan while Fungus and Wazowski steal furtive, jealous glances at us. Crazy, right? I mean, Funk isn't jealous of me and I definitely don't think that Wazowski is envious of me since he is bringing his "Celia Weelia" to the dance with him. Ugh, his little pet names for the girl make me nauseous.

The next day, I wake up early and waste no time getting to my feet and starting the morning out by reading a few more boring pages in my book about Mr. Waternoose. It's a dull way to start the morning, yeah, but how else am I supposed to get my history project done? I have my extra scaring class tonight and I'm going to be busy with my classes during the day.

Since I'm so busy, the day actually ends up passing by really quickly. I don't run into Wazowski, but I don't run into Sullivan or Fungus either. I get more homework to add to my pile of things to do. Back in my bedroom, I find myself dumping all of my new assignment sheets onto my desk before I accidentally take a peek in the mirror before heading down to the gym for my extra scaring class with the Dean. God, is that really me in the mirror there? My eyes are even more bloodshot and swollen than yesterday. Guess the stress of school is getting to me more than I realized.

Ignoring the vein pulsing underneath my eyelid, I turn and make a line for the door so I can get to my scaring class on time. The last thing I need to do is show up late for my extra scaring class and upset the one teacher who just so happens to like me. The Dean is nice and she plays fair unlike a certain Ms. Stanley that I know.

I've memorized the way to all of my classes by now and it's like second nature for me to weave my way through the hallways and take the elevator down to the school's first floor. Once there, I round the corner and hurry through the locker room to get to the gym. Even though I'm not late, the Dean has already started the class by working individually with her students. Apparently, Bile is first. The headmistress appears to be giving him tips on how to use a set of fake, plastic teeth to make him appear scarier to little children.

"Good evening, Mr. Boggs," the Dean calls over to me as soon as I slither through the entrance to the gym. She gives me a small smile and says, "I will be with you in just a few minutes. I'm just showing Mr. Bile some scaring tips right now. You may practice with the background flipper if you'd like."

I nod and glance across the room where the background flipper has been set out for me to practice with. Although camouflaging is by no means easy and takes a lot of concentration, I actually like doing it. I hurry over to the background flipper and pull the rope that changes the background a few times before I come to a steel background.

I start with all five senses like the Dean directed me to do last time we met and first come up with words to describe the color of the metal. Slate and gray are the first words that come to my mind. Next, I move on to texture. I imagine that the metal is cool and smooth to the touch. What about taste? Well, I don't exactly wanna be tasting metal anytime soon, but it would probably taste hard and cold. Does metal make sound? Nope. At least, not that I know of. Now what about smell? God, I don't know if metal has a smell or not…

Okay, so now I've gone through all five senses. How do I know whether or not I'm currently blending in with my surroundings? Usually when I try and look down at myself, I break off my concentration and ruin my illusion of invisibility. Luckily, the Dean comes to my rescue at the very moment and gives me the answer that I want to hear.

"Well done, Mr. Boggs! You're becoming very good at camouflaging! Before you know it, you'll be the best camouflager the university has ever seen," Dean Hardscrabble compliments me with an approving smile in my direction. "Now how about we try something a bit harder? How about a background with more than one color to it? Do you think that you're up for a challenge?"

I don't know if I'm up for a challenge exactly, but I'm always more than ready to try and show off for the Dean. Nodding, I wait to see what she means by a background with more than one color. The headmistress pulls the rope several times and switches out several different backgrounds before she comes to beach scene with a beautiful sunset in the distance.

The Dean steps back and gives me an encouraging nod to try and blend in with this new background. Taking a deep breath, I put all of my concentration into the background and start out by thinking about the color. This background isn't just one color; it's made up of several different pigments like the Dean explained to me earlier. I take careful note of all of the different colors from the melon base of the sunset just above the water to the pinky tones above it that finally morph into a shade of lilac. Keeping all of these colors in the back of my mind, I work on my next sense without breaking my concentration. However, I don't even get to the next sense before the Dean applauds me approvingly.

"That was very well done, Mr. Boggs! You did that in record timing. I must say that I'm impressed," Dean Hardscabble tells me with obvious admiration for me in her voice.

Surprised that I've managed to make myself blend in with a supposedly harder background already despite the fact that I haven't gone through all five senses, I blink and then try not to break my concentration as I barely move my lips and ask the Dean, "So I'm invisible then?"

"Yes, you are. Camouflaging will become second nature to you after a while. The more you do it, the easier it will come to you. Soon, you won't have to think twice about it. Going through all five senses just helps you at first while you're learning how to camouflage yourself. May I offer you a word of advice though?" the Dean asks considerately, making me think about just how big of a difference there is between her and Ms. Stanley. Ms. Stanley would've given me criticism whether or not I wanted to hear it. The Dean, on the other hand, actually bothers to ask me whether or not I would like to hear some tips. Considerate on her part, huh?

"Yeah, sure. What's the tip?" I ask the Dean, wanting to hear about any tricks that will help me with my camouflaging abilities. The sooner I get good at this, the sooner I can give Wazowski the scare of his life!

"Well, there's just one thing that happens to give away your appearance even though you're camouflaged," the Dean informs me. I give her a blank look, unsure where this is going. The Dean continues on, "Your glasses don't camouflage with you, unfortunately."

"Oh, I get it. So there is a pair of old fashioned, purple-rimmed glasses floating in the air right now, huh?" I ask wryly, unsure whether or not I find this amusing.

"Unfortunately, yes, that's exactly what's going on," the Dean says, trying to look sorrowful although she too is trying to mask a smile. Okay, okay, so I admit that the thought of a pair of purple glasses floating through the air is kind of funny. The Dean goes on, "May I suggest contacts to you, Mr. Boggs? They would solve all of your problems with one easy switch and you'd still be able to see just fine."

"Contacts, huh?" I repeat what the Dean just told me in a thoughtful voice. It actually never occurred to me to get contacts. Why not though? I mean, they would solve all of my problems just like the Dean said. With contacts, the other monsters would stop calling me a nerd and I'd finally be able to see properly without big purple frames in front of my eyes. Deciding that getting contacts is like getting three things for the price of one, I shrug my shoulders and tell the Dean, "I'm not opposed to the idea. Where would I go to get contacts?"

"Well, there's always the hospital wing, of course," the headmistress informs me. She holds out her right hand to me and shows me a little card with fancy cursive writing scribbled all over it. Too lazy to bother to read the writing, I take the card without reading it. Dean Hardscrabble goes on, "Show this to the doctor there and he should help you get a contact fitting. It should be quite simple really. I'm afraid to say that our time is up for today, but I will see you on Tuesday, I expect, hopefully with new contacts."

"Yeah, hopefully," I reply with a nod and a half smile. "Thanks for your time."

I'm not really the grateful type who says thank you for every little thing, but if someone deserves my thanks, it's definitely the Dean. She's done a hell of a lot for me in particular and I've gotta admit that I'm actually pretty excited about getting contacts. I didn't mind my glasses so much until I came here and I realized that wearing glasses is a mark of the "uncool". Maybe ditching my old purple rims will help me fit in.

Feeling quite satisfied for a Thursday night, I trace my way back up to my dorm room and decidedly ignore my pile of homework on my desk. It's just going to have to wait until tomorrow at this rate.

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_Review please! :)  
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	54. Chapter LIII

**Saints-Fan-12: That's a good question! Do you think that he'll get to run into Sulley? The more time that they spend together, the better in my opinion! Thanks for reviewing!  
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**honorstudent97: Fakey endings suck! Nobody likes them. D: I'm glad that I'm not the only one impatient for Finding Dory! Say, are you going to see Planes?  
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**jade4563: Nooooo, don't go back to college - I'm going to miss you! *hugs* But in all seriousness, good luck with that! Are you excited, nervous, or a combination of both for it? And yeah, it is surprising that Randall didn't think of contacts earlier. Maybe he didn't think about them because they're kind of expensive? I would be stressed out too with Funk and Mike pestering me constantly as well. Poor Randall. Thanks for reading!  
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**GhostlyMayhem: Yay, a new reviewer! I absolutely love getting new reviewers, so I can't even tell you how happy I am to receive your review, especially since you're not much of a reviewer (I don't blame you there - I'm the same way, haha). So you read this story all in a few hours, huh? You amaze me! I would've gotten bored after chapter three. :P Personally, I didn't like the way MU portrayed Randall at all. I prefer MI Randall to MU Randall by a long shot. Are you the same? It's great to meet another SulleyxRandall shipper. They're not my OTP, but I adore the pairing. I have no idea how I update so fast. I guess that I've always wanted to become an author and I try to stay on top of my FF page as often as I can. I hate getting behind with stories. It drives me crazy. xP Good luck with the community college! I should probably be going to college this fall, but nah, I'm just going to end up working at a gas station and keep on dreaming about becoming an author probably. Thanks again for your super nice review! I really appreciate it. :)**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Omg, I love the cutie kappa scene and the charity scene! xD I like that one part, "This guy hates charity!" But anyway, is Sulley still your favorite character? I wanna get the movie when it comes out on DVD!  
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**Remy: Lol, so you didn't used to study much? What changed that? I've never been much of a studier. I'm lazy at heart, I guess. The Dean is actually one of my favorite characters! I admit that I made her a bit nicer in this story than she was in the movie, but I wrote this before seeing the film, so yeah. I agree with you though; she usually did have a point in the film and I thought that Mike and Sulley were quite disrespectful to her. What do you think about that? Hope you like this next chapter!  
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**LuluCalliope: I guess that I could, but last time that I did that, my PM box got flooded and I couldn't keep up with all of the messages and it got kind of stressful tbh. With my new situation, I can barely keep up with updates.  
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**AL19: Hehe, you should definitely re-watch it sometime! I think that I've seen it three times, but now I mostly just watch my favorite parts since I've got close to the whole thing memorized. I'm going to guess that OK was your favorite fraternity then. Am I right? Don't worry, I misheard it the first time too. A friend of mine on Tumblr told me that it was "Mike" not "mate". And aw, thanks! What chapter are you on if you don't mind my asking?  
**

**90s Total Drama Pokemon: You're so welcome! I'll make the story as long as I possibly can - I promise! I hope that Funk can get over his jealous, or if he can't, that it doesn't affect Randall and Sulley too much, you know? Those two deserve to be together! Guess what? This fic is actually going to cover what happens after Randall gets banished to the human world! I'm a huge fan of fluff as well. Romance is definitely my thing. I take it that you like it too? *high fives you for being my fellow romance fan* I'll definitely put the frond stroking bit into the story! Thanks for reading!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: I'm so glad to hear that you liked reading about the Dean! Contacts are pretty cool, aren't they? I've worn them for ten years now. Hope you like this chapter!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: Yeah, Randy is definitely going to look more like his MI self now! I actually like his MI look better than his MU look even though he's cuter in MU. How about you? And yeah, Sonic Lost World looks awesome, but I don't have a wii u. D: Do you have one?  
**

**Johnny2b: It's fine now, I don't have any problems with them anymore with my new account.**

**James95: It's awesome to hear that you're still loving the story! It is a surprise that Randy hasn't snapped yet with Fungus and Doom always on his case! Do you think that he's going to snap soon? Thanks for reading this!  
**

**Mysterious: Uh oh, weird noises in your room? Did you ever figure out what they were coming from? I hate hearing weird noises in my room. *shudders* Cream is cute! I hate her mother, Vanilla, though. What do you think of her? I hate how Sonic X pairs her with Vector. It's so weird! And I agree - we definitely need more Shadaria fics! Thanks for reading this!  
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**Mickfang27: I guess that the last chapter answers your question about Randall and the contacts then, huh? It was always my theory that he wore contacts in Monsters Inc. That is a good question about who would lead the dance. I think that I can see Sulley leading, but I'm not sure. What do you think? And Randall should totally get back at Wazowski! He deserves that. *nods* Sullivan is a cool name! I like it almost as much as I like Boggivan. I'm still looking for a job. I wasted all afternoon at the piercing place today though. Oops. :P Thanks for commenting!  
**

**badberry123: Glad to hear that you liked the chapter and Randall's camouflaging lesson! The more that I think about it, the more that I want to be able to camouflage! It's a pretty epic ability, don't you think? I'm happy to hear that you liked Randall's dream as well. Dreaming is kind of a constant theme in this story now that I think about it. Haha, I think that Chet wanted Javier to kiss Reggie! What do you think? Chet's a little matchmaker apparently. Re-writes are kind of boring, I agree. It would be like reading a movie script (something that I never plan to do)! I felt sorry for Reg when I wrote the bit where he finds out about Jav and Chip. He's heartbroken for a bit and of course he's mad at Javier over the situation. There's always drama going on with those two! I do write a lot! It's always been my dream to become an author and I know that I'll never become an author unless I spend a lot of time writing, you know? Hm...that's a good question about what movie we should see at the cinema! What are your favorite movie genres? Oh my god, I love your idea about looking for shooting stars afterward! If we see one, we need to make a wish! I'm really superstitious, haha. I pair Rouge and Knuckles as well! I love the way they tease each other. :P I pair Shadow with Maria or with Mephiles. Weird pairings, I know. :P I love your ideas for baseball! You totally need to write an epic Monsters baseball game! That would be so fun to read! Thanks for reading. :)  
**

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**Chapter LIII  
**

The next day, I wake up and remember that I don't have morning class but that I can make one five minute phone call home today. Anxious to speak to my mother again, especially after the conversation I had with her regarding the "little red people", I practically fly out of bed and don't bother to send my homework a look before I turn out of my dorm room and start down the hallway that leads me to my secret elevator. Yup, nobody knows about the elevator yet. Well, nobody except for Funk and me as far as I know.

Speaking of Funk, I haven't seen him for a day and a half. I guess that's not really something to get concerned about, but Fungus is a clingy sort of monster. He usually forces me to see him whether I want to or not within a twenty-four hour time range. Not seeing the little guy is more unusual than usual.

Figuring that I won't get paranoid and will only start worrying about Funk if I don't see him at all today or over the weekend, I find myself at the elevator. I hit the red button next to it before clamoring inside the tightly enclosed space and hitting the button that will lead me to the main floor of the university. From there, I scurry straight toward the tall, heavy doors that lead to the front of Monsters University. It's not all that crowded in the halls today. I've noticed that Fridays tend to be a slower day for most of the students. Like me, a lot of them don't have morning classes.

I reach the heavy doors to the school entrance and heave them open before stepping outside into a bright autumn day. The sun is shining and it feels more like summer than fall if you want my honest opinion. I join the long line of students clustered behind the telephone booth and notice Professor Knight standing next to it as usual to monitor the time that the students spend on the phone and whatnot.

Waiting for my turn to make my phone call seems to take forever even though I haven't been standing here all that long. By the time ten minutes is up, I find myself at the end of the line. When Professor Knight sees me, I get the warm greeting that I was expecting.

"Randy, my boy, how are you?" the Professor booms in his cheerful, happy-go-lucky voice.

"I'm fine," I reply in a mood to skip the niceties so I can get straight to my phone conversation. I edge toward the glass doorway to the telephone booth and ask sheepishly, "Can I use the phone now?"

"Of course you can. I hope that you're able to get connected to whoever you're trying to get connected to. Oh, and I just have to say that I'm itching to see how you did on last week's homework. Not many of my other students seemed to understand the concepts of addition and subtraction, which is really a shame. They aren't that hard of subjects to comprehend, don't you think?" Professor Knight asks me, steering our conversation over to math like he is known to do.

"Yes, sir," I reply succinctly before sliding open the glass door to the phone booth and shutting it behind me to leave Professor Knight alone with his arithmetic-based mind. All alone, I take a deep breath and try and calm the anticipation tingling through my veins as I reach forward excitedly and slam my finger into the digits that make up my mother's phone number. After that, I cram the phone to my ear and wait.

I wait, wait, and wait some more. Starting to get nervous, I chew on my lip and wonder if my mother is going to pick up or not. On the very last beep, my mother finally decides to pick up the phone. I sigh with relief, but wonder why she always has to wait until the very last second to pick up the damn phone!

"Hello, mother," I say before my mother can say anything. "How have you been?"

"Oh, hello Russell. It's nice of you to call. I've been a little lonely lately. There's Susan and Melinda to keep me company, of course, but it's just not the same as having you around. Things have been so different here ever since my son left for college. Now what was his name again? Hm…" my mother trails off into silence, leaving me dumbfounded.

All I can do is stare at the phone for a long minute while I decide what to say next. Mother clearly doesn't know who I am, which is a problem. I could easily solve her little name mismatch, but instead I decide to play along with her game. In all my life, I have never met Russell, Susan, or Melinda. As far as I know, mother has no friends.

"Tell me more about Susan and Melinda," I say, pretending to be the unknown Russell for the time being. "How have the two of them been?"

"Fine, fine," mother says. "They read to me, tell me stories, and they know things."

"Know things?" I repeat, starting to get a bad gut feeling about all of this. Mother seems to be losing her memory at a very fast rate. Well, either her memory or her mind. I hate to think of which one it is. Going on, I add, "What sorts of things do they know? Where did you meet, um, Susan and Melinda?"

"Meet them? Why, you don't meet them someplace! That's silly," my mother laughs a light, tingling laugh that would have been beautiful if she wasn't slowly losing her memory. …Or okay, fine, I admit that she's losing her mind. Mother continues on, "The little red people don't meet you anywhere. They just come to you, of course."

At this point, my mother is making no sense at all and I decide to correct her before I get a detailed account on nonexistent little red people. Frowning to myself, I inform her, "Mother, this isn't Russell. This is Randall Boggs. You know, your son?"

"Ah, Randall! Of course it's you. I should have recognized your voice right away," mother tells me, apparently recognizing me only after I've told her my identity. I try not to feel too hurt about this. After all, I have tough scales. Mother continues on in a chipper voice, "How Is school going for you, Randy? Is there anything new or exciting going on?"

"Eh, not a lot," I reply, trying to search my mind for something interesting to tell mother about. The only interesting/important thing I can think to tell her about are the recent disappearances, but I don't think that worrying mother is such a good idea. I finally come up with something I can tell mother about that is somewhat interesting and say, "I'm learning to camouflage myself at a second's notice. Dean Hardscrabble says that I might end up being the school's best camouflager."

"That's very nice to hear," mother says, her voice sounding proud, but also confused. I can tell that there's something bothering her, so I wait for her sentence that is sure to follow. There are a few seconds before she asks the question that's obviously been on her mind, "Who is this Dean Hardscrabble?"

I flinch at being asked such an obvious question. Keeping my worry about her memory to myself, I inform mother as if I am informing a particularly dumb child about some widely known fact, "Dean Hardscrabble is the headmistress of the school. She owns the university and also teaches our scaring classes. The Dean recommended that I get glasses so I can camouflage without leaving purple glasses floating midair."

I expect mother to smile or laugh, but she doesn't. Instead, she doesn't say anything for a long moment. When mother finally speaks, her voice is etched with worry as she points out, "Contacts are expensive. I'm not sure that we can afford contacts right now. You'll have to let me know how much they are before you decide to get them."

I frown and realize that mother is right. Contacts are expensive, well, at least way more expensive than glasses anyway. I try not to sigh in disappointment as I say, "Yeah, I'll do that. I guess that I'll probably just have to end up taking off my glasses whenever I try to camouflage." Wanting to change the subject to something a little less depressing, I randomly point out, "There's an autumn dance being held at the school here in two weeks."

"A school dance? That's very exciting!" mother bubbles, apparently much more interested in the school dance than in me becoming the school's best camouflager. Oh well, mothers will be mothers. I listen with a small smile of irony dancing on my lips as mother continues on about the dance, "So have you found a partner for this dance yet? Are you planning on doing anything special with her before the event?"

I only hesitate for a moment before telling her the truth, "I'm not going with a girl actually. None of them around here have caught my eye. I'm just going with a friend. Sullivan, actually. I think that I might have told you about him. Did I?"

"Sullivan, Sullivan, Sullivan," my mother murmurs three times to herself in a thoughtful voice. For some reason, I like the way she says Sullivan's name. It drips like honey off of her tongue. "I don't believe that you have mentioned him before, but maybe you have and I just forgot. Tell me more about this Sullivan. What is he like?"

Even if I did tell mother about Sullivan last week, she wouldn't have remembered him. I decide to be patient with her and say, "Well, he's a lot different than me and hangs out with a completely different group of kids. He's popular, the school's top scarer, and a nice guy. I'm a loner, but then again, I've always been a loner, so no surprise there, huh?"

"I've always been a bit of a loner too, dear. There's nothing wrong with that," mother tells me before her voice takes on a mischievous edge and she says, "So you're going with this Sullivan as friends to the dance then?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I reply, not sure where this conversation is headed anymore. "Why?"

"Oh, I don't know why. It just seems like maybe this Sullivan isn't so much of a 'friend' to you after all," mother says, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Well, now you know which side of the family I get my sarcasm from. Mother goes on, "Sullivan just so happens to be the school's top scarer and all that you'll never be. He seems like your idol to put it bluntly. Maybe you're in love with him."

My eyes practically bulge out of their sockets as I stare at the phone in alarm, exclaiming, "Wha…?! No, of course not! I'm not in love with Sullivan for god's sake! He's just my friend. Like I said, he's just a nice guy."

"You seem awfully defensive about the whole thing," mother says, a knowing tone in her voice. "You know, I don't really care who you decide to love. It's completely your choice whether the lucky monster is male or female. Love whoever you want to love. I'll always support you on that."

"Uh, okay," I reply awkwardly, never having talked to my mother about my sexuality before and feeling a little weird about doing it now. Figuring that my five minutes are almost up and that I should probably get talking about the more important matters before I have to hang up, I change the subject and say, "So mom, these little red people…I don't particularly want you talking to them anymore."

"But why not?" mother asks, a bit of hurt and shock in her voice. I chew my lip at just how quickly she comes to her invisible friends' defense. "They're the only ones I have around to keep me company and at least they're nice to me. Why wouldn't you want me talking to them?"

"It's because…um…well…" I start out, unsure how to tell mother that her friends are invisible. After trying and failing to come up with a good lie regarding why I don't want her talking with her so-called friends, I admit, "It's because your friends don't exist, mother."

"Why, that's a horrible thing to say, Randall Boggs!" mother says, using my full name, which is only something that she does when she's really upset with me. I cringe as she continues on, "The little red people are my friends and I don't know what I'd do without them! You leave me here all alone while you go off to college and then you expect me to say goodbye to my friends? I think not!"

Beep! I stare at the phone in horror as I realize that my mother just hung up on me. My god, did I really make her that upset? Worried that she might go and do something stupid, I hurriedly slam my fingers back into the digits and try to ring my mother a second time. Nothing happens. Annoyed, I punch the digits even harder and try again. Still nothing. I'm about to try calling mother for a fourth time when Professor Knight creaks the glass door to the telephone booth open.

"Randall? I'm afraid that your five minutes are up. That's why the call isn't going through," Professor Knight explains. He catches a glimpse of my red-cheeked, frustrated face and adds, "Are you alright, Mr. Boggs?"

"Oh yeah, just fine," I reply, my voice teetering on the sardonic side as I think to myself about how my mother is losing her mind and her memory and how she'd rather have her little red friends than me around to keep me company. Things are definitely just "fine".

"Good to hear," Professor Knight says, obviously not privy to my sarcastic thoughts. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing you on Monday. Keep up the good work you've been doing so far this year."

"Uh huh, sure," I reply distractedly, my mind on anything but arithmetic as I turn and start away from the telephone booth back to the school. My mother is definitely losing it and I just don't know what to do for her. If I quit the university, we'll never have any hope of a better future together. If I don't quit the university, what's going to happen to my mother though? She clearly needs help and she's not going to get it on her own. I need to find a way to get her to a doctor, but how?

My mind swims with unanswered questions and I absentmindedly bump into several monsters on my way back inside the school. I decide not to quit the university, but I do make one decision. I will find a way to visit my mother on a weekend and get her to the doctor if it's the last thing I do.

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_Review please! :)  
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	55. Chapter LIV

**Saints-Fan-12: Randy can be really sweet, can't he? :) I really like the bond between him and his mother! I hope that you like this chapter!  
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**honorstudent97: Aw, that sucks! I was thinking about downloading it or something. Want me to tell you if it's any good if I see it?  
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**jade4563: That's awesome that you're excited for college! If I was going this year, I know that I'd be dreading it, haha. You'll have to let me know how everything goes with it! I wish you the best of luck and hope that you don't get swamped with homework. *crosses my fingers for you* Yeah, Randall's mother was pretty young when she had him. *nods* It was like a surprise pregnancy and that's why Randall doesn't have a dad in my story. Good thought there about Funk! It isn't at all like him to stay away. Thanks for commenting!**

**GhostlyMayhem: You must be a really fast reader then! It takes me an eternity just to edit my chapters. xD Oh god, I despise JohnnyxRandall. *insert puke face here* It seems like such an abusive pairing to me. I just can't stand it. Hey, nice prediction! Randall's mother definitely has schizophrenia which means, like you said, that a certain someone else will be getting it later down the road as well. I dunno why, but I've always seem MI Randall as the schizophrenia type, you know? And "Inside Out"? I haven't heard of that film! Gonna have to look it up! Glad you're squealing over the bit about the dance. You'll get to read more about it shortly!  
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**Villains' Bad Girl: This is going to sound really weird, but I actually like MI Randall way more than I like MU Randall! He seemed out of character to me in the new movie. What did you think?  
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**Remy: Aw, no, don't cry! *hands you a tissue just in case* I try to write emotional stories, but I don't want you crying! It is super sad that Randall's mother doesn't know what she's talking about, poor dear. =/ Funk has been a little quiet, I agree. I think that he's just upset about Sulley taking Randy to the dance. :P The Boggivan stuff starts in the next chapter! And no need to apologize, I understand why you'd be impatient for it to start!  
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**LuluCalliope: I wouldn't mind working at the grocery store or at a place like that. Don't really want to end up working at a gas station or a McDonalds, but that's probably where I'll end up since it's hard to find a job around here these days, you know?  
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**AL19: I know exactly what you mean about liking most of the characters! I'm the same way really - I like a whole bunch of characters from the films, especially from MU. And wow, you read five chapters a day? I'm a super slow reader, so that would take me ages. It takes me like a half hour just to edit a chapter. I'm such a slowpoke. xD  
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**90s Total Drama Pokemon: I'm worried about Randy's mother as well! It doesn't sound like she's doing too well, does it? She definitely needs some help. Let's just hope that Randy can get her the help that she needs. Never apologize - I love hearing about what you'd like to see in sequels. I never saw Sulley and Randall getting married for some reason, but I definitely see them living together. It would be a cute bonding moment if Sulley and Randall talked about Randall's mother, don't you think? And yay, we're Boggivan romance fans! :D Thanks for commenting!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: Yeah, help your mother fight those little red people, Randy! You can do it! *cheers him on* And wow, you've been wearing glasses for a long time then, huh? That's awesome!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: That's so awesome that you have a wii u! Is that your favorite gaming system? I've never played on one before. Hm, good question about Randall's mother! She has schizophrenia sadly. :S  
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**Johnny2b: I don't really have time for a fb account, sorry.  
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**James95: You definitely have a good point there. Randall has enough to deal with, but knowing that his mother is sick is going to make him much more stressed. At least he has an accepting mother though, right? Thanks for reading!  
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**Mysterious: Vanilla is definitely a Mary Sue! *nods* And why pair her with Vector? That is just so weird. EmerlxCream is cute! I like CreamxCharmy though too. What do you think of that pairing? Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**badberry123: Things are getting a bit more serious now, especially with Randall's mother's condition. :( You can't help but feel sorry for both her and Randy. Ooo, I like the way your mind works! It would be great if Randy and Sulley could bond over the matter of Randall's mother. Oh god, if Fungus got kidnapped in the hallway, I shudder to think about what might happen to him! I agree with you about Chet; he's good enough for Johnny just as he is! He doesn't have to change himself or anything. And yeah, it's pretty obvious that he's been in love with him since day one. xD Heh, if I could camouflage, I would be doing it a LOT and getting out of all of the things that I don't want to do. *snickers* I think that Chet would like to help matchmake with us if we were in the MU world! We could be the match making threesome! Thank you for wishing me luck on becoming an author! It certainly is a hard thing to do, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up. That's awesome that you want to be a vet! I used to want to be a vet, but I could never do animal surgeries and stuff like that. I'm so sorry about Tom though! That must have been horrible. *hugs you* Haha, okay, we won't go to see a horror film then. My favorite genres are horror, heavy romance, and animation (weird combo there, I know). I'll watch anything though really, I'm not too picky. Oh god, your dad didn't know that he was supposed to wish on a shooting star? *facepalms* I love how Rouge sets Knuckles off with the chaos emerald. Those two make me laugh so much. I just love Knuckles' little blush when he tries to tell Rouge that he doesn't like her. We know better! I understand what you mean about Shadow and Maria. I think that they're sort of adorable together though. Shadow/Mephiles I ship because they were both "formed" and I see them having some direct similarities even though they're really different. Plus that whole "join me" moment made me ship them too. Still loving your idea for the baseball game! Thanks for reading this! :D  
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**Chapter LIV  
**

I spend the rest of the day mostly distracted after my phone call with my mother. I hate the way she just hung up on me. It isn't like my mother to do something like that. She rarely gets upset and getting upset over something stupid like invisible red people is not something that she should be getting upset over. Regardless, by the time evening comes around, I find that I still want to meet up with Sullivan in the library like we originally planned on doing. Maybe showing each other our scaring techniques will help me distract me from the situation at hand. I've decided that I'm going to get my mother to a doctor, but I'm still thinking about how exactly I'm going to do that.

I leave my dorm room feeling slightly down and take the elevator down one floor before making my way to the library. I don't see Fungus on my way there or even after I've entered the library. Huh. It's weird how I haven't seen him all day. I would've thought that he would be here in the library working on his project for our history of Monstropolis class. Guess not though.

Since Sullivan isn't around yet, I take the initiative and sit down at an empty table by myself, wondering if Sullivan is going to ditch me. Wait. Sullivan wouldn't ditch me. He's just not the kind of guy who ditches someone. If anything, Sullivan will forget about his date – no, I didn't mean that in a romantic sense – with me because his fan club keeps him busy around the clock.

My thoughts drift back to my mother and I find myself trying to come up with ways to get her to the hospital before I feel a tap on my shoulder and practically have a heart attack as I nearly jump out of my chair and whirl around to find Sullivan standing behind me. He smiles his friendly, white-toothed smile and gives me a wave. Even though he frightened me half to death, I can't find it within myself to get mad at him.

"Hey Sullivan. You sure know how to scare a guy, you know that?" I ask him ruefully, smoothing my fronds as I look up into Sullivan's shiny sapphire eyes.

"Sorry about that, Randall," Sullivan apologizes to me, looking genuinely sorry as he admits, "I didn't mean to frighten you. You seemed sort of deep in thought. Is something bothering you?"

"No, no, everything is fine," I reply, trying to force a smile onto my face. It feels strained and just plain wrong. Still, I don't want Sullivan to have to bear the burden of my mother's situation along with me, so I try and change the subject, questioning, "What was it that we were going to do again? Oh right, show each other our scare moves."

I must not do a very good job of trying to change the subject because instead of taking up the new direction of the conversation, Sullivan sits down opposite me at the library table and gives me a knowing look as he says, "It's about your mother, isn't it?" I hesitate before nodding. It looks like the cat's already been let out of the bag at this point. Sullivan goes on, "Would you like to talk about it?"

I consider Sullivan's offer and finally decide that it might be good to get my problem off of my chest. Who knows? Maybe talking about it will make it better. Hoping that my logic is accurate, I say, "Alright, I suppose. See, she's doing worse than last time. She keeps going on about those little red people that she supposedly sees. I tried to tell her to stop trying to talk to them earlier and she got all defensive about them on me and hung up. Seems like she's losing her memory and her mind. I'm not sure what to do. I wanna get her to a hospital, but I'm not sure how to go about doing that."

"Well, we could always take a cab and visit your mother over the weekend, couldn't we?" Sullivan suggests, trying to find a way around the hole in my plan.

I note to myself how Sullivan said "we" instead of "you". Is he planning on coming with me to visit my mother or something? I send the polka dotted monster a curious look out of the corners of my eyes and decide not to comment on that and instead say, "Cabs are expensive. Don't they charge by the time or something? Most cab drivers would probably take the longest route possible to get to my house and then bill me a fortune for it. Unfortunately, I don't have that sort of money to burn right now. Hell, I don't have any money to burn right now."

"I don't mind paying for a cab," Sullivan says in an amiable tone of voice, clearly wanting to help out. "How about you call your mother next Friday and then call the hospital and schedule her an appointment there the next day? I'll use my phone call to call a cab. What do you think?"

I blink and consider this for a long moment, slightly taken back by Sullivan's generosity. It's awfully nice of him to offer to pay for a cab regardless of price, but I can't help but think that he's going to want something from me in return for this. Tapping my index fingers together thoughtfully, I ask Sullivan, "What do you want in return for it? Like I said, I don't have any money, so paying you back is out of the question."

"I never said that I was after money," Sullivan tells me before he lowers his tone as if he's sharing a secret with me and adds, "Besides, I actually owe you this for agreeing to show me some of your scare moves today. So are we on for next Friday then?"

I contemplate this before reaching a decision and say, "Yeah, I guess so. Thanks, Sullivan. You're a pretty decent guy, you know that? Not many monsters would offer to pay for a cab for someone else to bring their mother to the doctor. That's pretty selfless of you. I bet only one out of every ten monsters would do something like that."

"Any reasonable monster would want to help you with your mother," Sullivan informs me with a smile. I wait for the smile to go away, but it lingers on his lips, making me wonder what he's thinking about. Curiosity eventually ends up getting the better of me and I can't help but ask about the reason behind the turquoise monster's smile.

"What's so funny?" I ask Sullivan, raising an eyebrow at him.

Sullivan turns a slightly pink color underneath his fur, apparently blushing as he points out, "I just was thinking about something you said earlier. When you started your sentence, I thought that you were calling me pretty until you added the decent part to that."

"Hm. Would you like it if I called you pretty?" I ask, licking my lips in what could be registered as a suggestive manner. I don't really know what I'm doing around Sullivan to be honest. Flirting has never been one of my skills, but a lot of nonsense seems to pop out of my mouth whenever I get too close to a certain hairy blue someone.

Sullivan replies to my question smoothly and replies, "Would you like it if I called you pretty, Randall?"

That was definitely an interesting way for him to reverse the question on me. I contemplate this for a moment before answering his question in a non-suggestive way and reply, "You can call me anything you like, Sullivan. Well, anything but four-eyes anyway. That's Wazowski's name for me. So where are we going to do our scaring practice together anyway? We need a doorway to work with and there's not really a spare doorway here in in the library."

"You have a good point there," Sullivan nods, looking around ourselves at the other monsters attempting to find books on the bookshelves, research info for god-knows-what on the computers on the opposite side of the room, and read quietly to themselves at the tables scattered throughout the spacious library. Finally, Sullivan suggests, "Well, we could always go up to my dorm room for a while. I've got a closet door that we can use for practice."

My pulse immediately speeds up at the thought of getting to see Sullivan's dorm. I haven't seen it before and I can't say that I don't want to. There's only one problem about practicing in Sullivan's dorm though. What about a certain green eyeball? I point out this problem and ask Sullivan, "What about Wazowski? He probably won't want my 'lizard germs' in his room."

Sullivan, always the optimist, replies, "Oh, I'm sure that Mikey won't mind. Besides, he's spending tonight with Celia and some of her friends. He won't even know that you dropped by. You're lucky that you don't shed. This blue fur gets everywhere! Mike won't stop complaining about it."

"Shedding ain't such a bad thing. You should meet my roomie, one-eyed Doom. There's a reason why he's called 'Doom'. He's a creep who stares at you out of one eye all day long and then stares at you all night long too," I point out, unable to keep myself from comparing my situation to Wazowski's, mainly because I would much rather have Sullivan as a roommate than Doom. Going on, I raise an eyebrow and ask even though it's really none of my business, "Is Wazowski staying at Celia's all night long or just for the evening?"

"I don't know, but just for the evening, I'm guessing. Little Mikey's just a kid still," Sullivan says before reconsidering what he just said and adding, "Then again, you never really know with Mike."

"Heh. Well, let's go to your room if you're sure that Wazowski won't be around. It's better than risking my room where we'll be watched by a blood red eye. C'mon, let's go. You lead the way because I've got no clue where we're going," I inform Sullivan, getting gracefully to my feet as I wait for Sullivan to get up and show me to his dorm. Now that it's clear that Wazowski won't be around to bother us, I really want to visit Sullivan's dorm.

Sullivan gets up and starts toward the door to the library. I trail behind him, admiring the way his glossy fur shines in the light. Fur is much more interesting than scales if you ask me. I consider what it would be like to have fur until Sullivan comes to a halt at the foot of the staircase and puts one foot on it. I almost follow him before deciding to let him in on the secret regarding the elevator.

Reaching up, I catch Sullivan's wrist and pull him to a halt, saying, "Wait. I wanna show you something. Follow me. Your dorm is on the fifth floor, right?"

Sullican nods and gives me a curious look before following me through the hallways clustered with students to the more deserted hallways. After a few minutes, we arrive at the elevator as planned. I hit the red button and smirk triumphantly as Sullivan gives the elevator a look of astonishment.

"Has this elevator been here the entire time and nobody has noticed it until now except for you?" Sullivan asks incredulously, looking at the elevator as if it's one of the seven wonders.

"Yup, it's been here this entire time. It can't exactly disappear and reappear," I reply before realizing that something Sullivan said wasn't quite accurate. I rephrase my sentence and say, "Actually, it was Funk who found out about the elevator. He discovered it first and then showed it to me. Hey, do me a favor and don't show it to your little fan club though, okay? Once they know about the elevator, the whole school will know about it and then it'll probably be faster to take the stairs."

"Don't worry, I can keep a secret," Sullivan reassures me with a smile as the two of us shuffle inside the elevator and then head to the fifth floor. Up, up, up we travel with Sullivan still looking at the elevator in wonder and me looking at Sullivan and pondering why he wants to be my friend. It's weird, isn't it? I mean, why in Monstropolis would the most popular and talented monster at Monsters University randomly do nice things for the geeky, nerdy outcast? Sullivan doesn't just do me nice things though. He tries to spend time with me and he actually invited me to the school dance. Something's gotta be up with that…

"Are you coming, Randall?" Sullivan calls to me, jerking me out of my momentary paralysis and causing me to blush as I nod and quickly follow him out of the elevator and into the hallway. Since I have no clue where we're headed, I follow in Sullivan's wake as he leads me in the opposite direction of my dormitory. Apparently wanting to walk side by side with me, Sullivan slows his steps and glances over at me before asking, "Who's 'Funk' by the way? I don't think that I know anyone who goes by that."

"Oh, that's just Fungus," I say dismissively, not wanting to talk about Fungus around Sullivan for some reason. "He sort of follows me around. Dunno why. You've probably seen him trailing me from here to there, haven't you?"

"I know who Fungus is. I don't blame him for following you around. You're an interesting monster, Randall Boggs," Sullivan states a matter of factly, not really making it clear if his statement was meant as a compliment or as an insult.

"Interesting, huh? What's interesting supposed to mean?" I ask Sullivan, wanting some clarification on the subject.

"Interesting as in…well, interesting," Sullivan shrugs before thinking and adding, "You're certainly the most inquisitive monster I've met, that's for sure. Everything has to have a reason for you, doesn't it? You have a hard time trusting other monsters, I've noticed."

"I dunno. Maybe. I didn't grow up around a lotta folk," I shrug my shoulders, not particularly wanting to get into the fine details of my personal life. Luckily, Sullivan comes to a halt right at that moment, allowing me to change the subject as I nod toward the room we've stopped in front of and ask curiously, "So is this your room?"

"Sure is," Sullivan replies genially before he seems to have remembered something and frowns, adding, "Er, Mikey has a tendency not to keep things all that clean in our dorm, so here's your apology in advance for any sort of mess that might be in the dorm.

"Hey, it's no problem. I'm used to a mess," I say, waving Sullivan's words away with a hand. The turquoise monster hesitates a moment longer, so I give him a light shove forward and add, "Open up! I wanna see your room."

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_Review please! :)  
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	56. Chapter LV

**Saints-Fan-12: Aw, I'm just so happy that you love this story so much! Your comments always make me grin! Something tells me that Mike's side of the room is going to be a mess unfortunately. :S  
**

**honorstudent97: Alrighty, I'll let you know what I think! I always try to see most Pixar films. Have you seen all of the Pixar films?  
**

**jade4563: I'm really glad that you like the way that I've slowly developed this story. Personally, I think that longer stories are more detailed and are more meaningful than shorter stories, so I try to put a lot of work and effort into building relationships in them, you know? Can't wait to hear how your college class goes! *crosses my fingers for you* Also, yeah, apparently friendship is more important than money in Sulley's case! He's a true friend. Thanks for reading!  
**

**JinxConlon: I'm with you there - that is a great pickup line! xD Thanks for continuing to read this!**

**GhostlyMayhem: Haha, well, I think that we all read quicker than we type, don't we? I'd prefer to be a faster typer though. :P Believe me, you're not the only one who despises JohnnyxRandall. The pairing makes me sick and what I don't get is how there are so many stories out there for it! I mean, what the fuck? I ship Johnny with Chet for obvious reasons ("Johnny, you're my hero!"), but Johnny barely interacts with Randall and all of their interactions are negative. Sorry for the rant there, but anyway, Randall's mother's schizophrenia is going to take her on a downhill path pretty quickly unfortunately. :( Pixar is always super secretive about their films. Can't wait to hear more about the new one. I hope that this chapter makes you fangirl squeal again! xD  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Randall was cute with the glasses, but he only wore them for like...five seconds. xD I was expecting him to wear them for most of the movie! What about you?  
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**Remy: Hehe, never apologize about being hyper! I used to get so hyper and excited when one of my favorite stories got updated that it wasn't even funny. xD But anyway, I love it when people get excited over my stories! That always makes me happy to hear. I have a feeling that you're really going to like this chapter. I'm so sorry about the argument with your mom. Whenever I'm arguing, I always use to take her side because it was easier, haha. My parents talked about divorcing a lot back in the day, so I know what you're going through. *hugs* Are you any better today, I hope?  
**

**Mickfang27: It's okay about not reviewing on the other chapter. I remember you saying that you're starting school soon and all of that, so I understand completely. :) It is sad with a lot of unrequited love going on, I agree! Poor Nancy in Born to Please. It's so obvious that she loves Chet, isn't it? It is nice that Sulley is showing some concern for Randall and has agreed to help him with his mother. Good prediction actually! Sometimes I like cliche. *hints* And nah, I just got more ear piercings. I have fourteen total now. They hurt a bit initially, but now they're okay. Thanks for loving the chapters! I love your reviews!  
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**AL19: Thanks for not minding me being a slowpoke. Are you a slow editor too? I think that we can all agree that editing is pretty boring. You should definitely catch up soon reading five chapters a day though! :D Random question, but were there any Monsters University characters that you didn't like?  
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**90s Total Drama Pokemon: Ooo, what an awesome review! Thank you so much - it made me so happy to read it! Don't worry; you'll be getting an update on Randall's mother shortly. :) Glad you like the idea of Randall and Sulley moving in together. I've always liked the thought of them living together and Sulley sort of taking care of Randall if that makes any sense? Your ideas aren't weird at all, never say that. *hugs* I'm so glad that you're excited for the next chapter! There will be lots of fluffy moments coming up! It will be a while before Randall comes back from the human world though. :P Thank you again for reading!  
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**BloodRedRoses04: He did sort of diss Funk there, didn't he? I wonder where that little guy is. At least Sulley's being nice though! Thanks for reviewing!  
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**marioandsonicFTW: We're definitely getting there - I agree! There will be some RandallxSulley in this chapter! I know what you mean about the wii u. It is still pretty new. The gamecube is my favorite system too. Do you have a favorite gamecube game?  
**

**Johnny2b: Actually, I really don't. Besides, it's honestly not something that I want to do. I just ditched deviant art and Tumblr because I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with this site as it is.  
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**James95: Hehe, what do you think is on Sulley's mind, hm? He seems to just want to be nice to Randall, but it is very true that he might have some ulterior motives going there. Thanks so much for your comment!  
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**Mysterious: Yeah, you kind of have to use your imagination when it comes to Charmy and Cream. *nods* I don't really like Cosmo (I think that she's a Mary Sue again!) and Tails is kind of blah to me, but I guess that they make an alright couple. What do you think of them? I'm glad that you liked the last chapter! :D  
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**XxSgt KululuxX: I'm so glad that you liked the library scene so much! Hehe, they're both pretty guys, aren't they? :P I don't get why glasses-wearing people are called four eyes either. Some people try too hard to find things about other people to pick on in my opinion. Randall does seem to be opening up to Sulley slowly but surely, doesn't he? Only Sulley can bring out Randall's nice guy and flirtatious side. Way to go, Sulley! *gives him a big thumbs up* And I know, Sulley is such a sweetie for offering to help Randall with his mother! Good thought about Funk. He's been gone for a suspiciously long time. =/ Hope you like this next chapter!  
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* * *

**Chapter LV  
**

Sullivan finally opens the door to his dormitory and allows me a peek inside his room. Needless to say, the room is definitely more colorful than the room I share with one-eyed Doom. Just about every wall surface in this dorm has a poster plastered to it. A silvery disco ball hanging from the ceiling causes light to dance across the room at odd angles. A bunk bed is visible on one side of the room. It's obvious that Sullivan sleeps on the top bunk because lots of blue hair is visible on the sheets. The bottom bunk is clearly Wazowski's because a miniature figure of a green cyclops is resting on his sheets. A bright blue and green striped rug has been placed on the center of the floor. There's a spare bed on the opposite side of the room, but apparently Sullivan and Wazowski have decided to use it for storage space and not for sleeping because large, towering piles of books are visible on the bed. Overall, the room seems friendlier than mine despite the clutter and I decide that I like it.

"Nice room," I tell Sullivan before debating and adding, "Maybe I'll let you see my room sometime when Doom's out. That shouldn't be a problem because Doom's out of the room most of the time."

Sullivan visibly relaxes at my compliment and shuffles into the room behind me, shutting the door with a click as he says, "Phew! I was afraid that you'd think that the room is a dump, which really, it is. I keep telling Mikey that we should organize our stuff a little more, but he always puts it off until the next day and you know how that goes. The disco ball was obviously Mike's idea."

"Obviously," I smirk, not having a hard time imagining Wazowski ordering Sullivan to hang his precious disco ball from the ceiling for him since the little eyeball is too short to reach the ceiling himself.

A short, but not exactly awkward silence falls between the two of us as I continue looking around the room. Sullivan goes to the closet and props the door open, saying, "We can use this door to show each other our different scare moves. Sorry if the closet's a little messy…"

I go to stand at Sullivan's shoulder and end up accidentally resting my chin on his shoulder as I peer into the closet. It doesn't look all that bad to me. It's obvious which side of the closet belongs to Sullivan and which side belongs to Wazowski though. One of the sides of the closet is filled with Monsters University jackets, scarves, and other accessories. The other side is full of a random assortment of junk. A blue baseball cap almost as tacky as Fungus' hat has been thrown carelessly into a corner and several candy wrappers and magazines litter the floor.

"Apparently Wazowski has a sweet tooth, huh?" I ask Sullivan, the right side of my mouth lifting in irony as I glance up at the larger monster.

Sullivan looks down at me and smiles, his gaze somehow reminding me that I have my chin on his shoulder in a very awkward position. I quickly jerk backward, cheeks flaming. Unfortunately, I pull a George Sanderson move and end up stumbling backward another step. This, in turn, causes me to stumble over an empty soda can lying on the floor and fall onto Wazowski's bed.

Blinking, I take in my new surroundings and suddenly understand why Wazowski complains about Sullivan shedding all of the time. Several tufts of blue fur are visible on the bottom of the bunk hanging over my head. As I'm busy observing the stray fur, Sullivan ducks under the bunk with me and offers me a black-clawed hand, apologizing, "Sorry again about the mess. It's way too easy to trip on things in here. You should've seen me! On my first day, I ran into the book shelf across the room from you there and caused the whole thing to fall over."

"Good to hear that I'm not the only one with tripping issues," I murmur before I feel an impulsive shiver run down my body. It's not particularly cold in the dorm room, but something about the way Sullivan is leaning over me on the bed causes my pulse to race and my head to spin. My god, I really am attracted to Sullivan…

Before things can get any more uncomfortable, I take Sullivan's hand and let him pull me back to my feet. Brushing myself off in case I collected any loose turquoise fur during my fall onto Wazowski's bed, I tilt my head at Sullivan and turn business-like, asking, "Are you gonna go first or do you want me to?"

"It doesn't matter to me. I can start if you want me to," Sullivan shrugs before taking a few steps forward and saying, "This is my usual strategy. The Dean says that it works best for me because of my body type and all that."

I nod silently and watch intently as Sullivan creeps up on the doorway from behind and then bursts through it. He raises his curled, black claws into the air and places an almost gruesome expression on his face before letting loose a hell bound roar. I've gotta admit that if I was a little human kid, I would definitely find Sullivan scary. It's no wonder that he's the top scarer at Monsters University.

"Impressive," I admit as Sullivan steps back, turning to me for criticism or approval. I'm not stupid to offer the university's best scarer criticism and instead say, "Here's one of my moves."

Taking a deep breath, I force myself to concentrate before I sneak up on the closet doorway and suddenly dart to the right side of it. I slither soundlessly across the floor and pop upward where I assume a kid's bed might be in a real scenario and then let out a menacing hiss. My roars are not that loud by any means and typically sound more throaty and guttural than bloodcurdling and bone-breaking. In general, I tend to stick with hissing. Wondering what Sullivan will think of the technique I just showed him, I turn back to the shaggy blue monster and wait for him to say something.

Apparently, Sullivan is extremely impressed because his azure eyes have gone wide and he's smiling at me. My rival and friend says, "Wow, now I see why you're one of the university's best scarers. That was awesome! I wish that I could perform a sneak attack like that, but I'm too big and clumsy for it. Kids see me as soon as I enter the room. There's really no way around it."

Glad that Sullivan liked the technique that I just showed him, especially since I didn't think that it was all that good myself, I raise an eyebrow and ask, "Wanna see another one?"

"Sure thing!" Sullivan nods before pointing to the door and saying, "Have at it!"

Wanting to impress my rival once more, I think for a few frantic moments as I try to come up with the scaring move that will impress Sullivan the most. A more complicated move comes to my mind and I quickly decide to execute it. Pretending that I am in a real scenario to help myself get into the feel of scaring, I stare at the doorway for a long moment before dropping onto my hands and knees. I slither forward into the room and then jump from the floor to the side of the closet and then spring from the wall onto the ceiling. Wrapping the coil of my tail around the bar hanging from the top of the closet, I allow myself to swing from it and dangle so that I'm facing Sullivan upsi-down. I stick my long, forked tongue out at him and call out, "Boo!"

Sullivan looks somewhere between astounded and amused. Finally, he ends up chuckling before he says, "You're really something, Randall. I wish that I could do something like that. You'll be the top scarer in no time. I can just see you beating my numbers. When that time comes, I'll be over by your side in an instant congratulating you."

I blink at Sullivan in surprise from where I'm still hanging from the ceiling, shocked that he basically just said that he doesn't want there to be a rivalry between us anymore. Not really sure how I feel about this, I drop onto the floor and then easily slither up to my full height, murmuring, "Gee, Sullivan, that's awful nice of you…"

"Nice is my middle name," Sullivan replies with one of his easy smiles before his forehead creases and he admits, "There's something that I don't really get though. How do you balance so well? If I tried balancing like you, I'd fall over on the floor."

"No, you wouldn't, silly. Anyone can balance. Here, let me show you," I say, rolling my eyes at Sullivan. How can he think that balancing is hard? It comes naturally to me. I put my hands on the bigger monster's shoulders and then stand back before telling him, "Okay, now stand on one foot, but don't move too much or else you'll throw yourself completely off balance."

"That's a lot easier said than done," Sullivan mutters wryly before attempting to do what I just told him to do. I expect that Sullivan is just exaggerating, but it turns out that he really is bad at balancing. As soon as he tries to stand on one foot, Sullivan loses his balance and starts wind milling his arms around in an attempt to stay balanced. I tap my chin thoughtfully, trying to think of ways to help Sullivan improve his balancing. The purple polka dotted monster grabs the wall before he can fall over and says, "See, it's no use. I can't balance to save my life, but hey, at least one of the two of us can. It seems like we have opposite abilities. Anyway, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while now. What are private lessons with the Dean like? Mike keeps fantasizing over them."

"Over private lessons with the Dean? My god, don't tell me that he likes her and Celia!" I joke, causing Sullivan to laugh. I think about Sullivan's question for a moment longer before saying, "In all seriousness, I really like the class. The Dean is helpful and it's obvious that she knows a lot. She's taught me a lot of things that I never knew before I came here. In fact, she even taught me how to camouflage myself. Problem is these stupid glasses. They won't disappear with me, so I'm supposed to go and get contacts on Saturday."

"Contacts, huh? That sounds like fun," Sullivan admits before asking, "Where are you going to get fitted for contacts?"

"The hospital wing, apparently. The Dean gave me a note that I'm supposed to show to one of the doctors there. I'm not a fan of hospital wings, but contacts do sound nice, so I'm giving them a go," I reply, editing out the fact that I probably won't be able to afford contacts. Sullivan doesn't need to know how dirt poor I am.

"Sounds cool! Can I come along?" Sullivan asks, raising a shaggy eyebrow at me. I must give him a slightly weirded out look because he quickly adds, "Mikey is having another party in our room on Saturday and I don't feel like playing the gracious host all day long."

"Oh, I gotcha there," I reply, immediately shuddering at the prospect of playing the role of a party host all day long, especially at Wazowski's party. I don't take the time to realize that Sullivan is not me and probably wouldn't mind the party so much. It also doesn't occur to me that it's a little weird that he's offering to go to something like a doctor's appointment with me. If I had managed to take note of all of these things, I might have noticed Sullivan's ulterior motive. "Sure you can come with me. Say, do you want to see a trick?"

"Who wouldn't?" Sullivan asks, eyes focused on me as he waits for my trick.

Hoping to impress Sullivan, I take off my purple-rimmed glasses and go temporarily blind as I cautiously set them down on Wazowski's bed for the time being. I've never actually tried to camouflage spontaneously for anyone before, so I might be about to make a big idiot out of myself. Hoping that this isn't about to happen, I start focusing on my five senses like the Dean told me to do.

First, I start with sight. I try and take in the big picture of the room and notice the bright blue walls along with the various colors of the posters pasted sloppily all over the walls. Next, I take in the smell of the room. It smells musky and spicy, kinda like Sullivan…

Apparently, I don't have to think further because Sullivan's dropped jaw is more than enough confirmation to tell me that I've successfully transformed into an invisible monster. Of course, I have to step forward and break my concentration, asking, "Did it work?"

I immediately turn visible again and practically give Sullivan a heart attack when I appear right in front of his face. He stumbles backward at the same time that I stumble backward, feeling embarrassed for having accidentally taken that step closer to Sullivan. Sullivan falls back and I fall forward right on top of him. We land in a tangle of limbs together on the floor, both of us breathing heavily and my heart racing once again. I should get off of Sullivan immediately, but I don't. Either I'm stunned or I don't want to move for…other reasons.

"You okay?" I ask, figuring that I should be the one to apologize. "I shouldn't have accidentally snuck up on you like that. It was my fault."

"Don't worry about it," Sullivan dismisses me. I wish that I could see his face, but everything is nothing more than a blur to me when I've got my glasses tucked away on Wazowski's bed. Procrastinating getting up, I randomly change the subject and say, "Do you know that I can't see a damn thing without my glasses?"

"You can't?" Sullivan echoes me, sounding worried as he makes to prop himself up on one elbow. "Should I get your glasses for you?"

"Nah, it's fine. I lied," I reply, chuckling slightly at the note of panic in Sullivan's voice. "I can still see some things like color masses. Like right now, I can see that you're big and blue and that the wall is a mottled mess of color because of all of Wazowski's posters. Anyway, I didn't know that you'd be so concerned about my vision."

"Why wouldn't I be concerned for you?" Sullivan asks me, confusion in his voice as he adds, "I'd be concerned for all of my friends."

"Friends, huh? Is that what I really am Sullivan – your friend?" I ask the furry monster lying underneath me before risking it and gently rocking my hips against Sullivan's so I can lean closer down to him, listening to his breath hitch as I whisper, "Am I your friend or am I something more?"

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_Review please! :)  
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	57. Chapter LVI

**Saints-Fan-12: I'm a little stunned at Randall's nerve as well! I think that he got a little carried away with himself, don't you think? Thank you so much for commenting!  
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**honorstudent97: Finding Nemo is definitely one of my favorites too. There's so much that I love about that film. It makes me nostalgic of my childhood for some reason. Does it do the same for you?  
**

**jade4563: Of course I had to leave it off right there. :P What's a good chapter without a cliffhanger, eh? But in all seriousness, Randall is definitely a tease! Thanks for reading!  
**

**JinxConlon: *hands you a tissue for your nosebleed* Hehe, I take it that you're still enjoying the story? :)  
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**GhostlyMayhem: Ooo, I was right! Awesome! I love being right, but then again, don't we all? xD I'm so glad to hear that you were fangirling throughout the entire chapter! It's pretty obvious that Randall's got the hots for Sulley now, isn't it? He isn't exactly being inconspicuous about it anymore to put it lightly. Let me know what you think of this next chapter!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I know, I thought that he would keep the glasses on for at least most of the movie! Eh, not much. There's not that much time in the day sadly.  
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**Remy: Aw, you are so welcome for the chapter! I'm glad to hear that you liked it so much! I was hoping that you would, of course, but it's always nice to hear you actually say that you liked it in a review, you know? :) That is a good prediction about Funk. You have to admit that he has been awfully quiet lately. So you do think that he's gotten kidnapped? If so, things can't be going too well for him. How have you been lately? I hope that things are going better for you in regards to your home life. Hope you like this chappie!  
**

**TheMadCathatter: I'm really honored to hear that you've been reading this story and have been enjoying it! I hope that you really like the next chapter. I take it that you're a SulleyxRandall fan? :)**

**AL19: Wow, that's pretty awesome that there weren't any characters that you ended up disliking! I usually have a few that I end up hating. Oh, and no worries about not editing. I skip it a lot of the time when I get lazy. I mean, who likes editing, you know? Are you almost caught up now since I didn't update yesterday? I'm still surprised that you managed to make it through this entire boring story. xD  
**

**90s Total Drama Pokemon: I'm so glad that you liked the chapter and especially the ending of it! So this chapter and the one where Sulley asked Randall out to the dance are your favorites then? I had the most fun writing those chapters out of the ones that I've posted so far! I also like the concept of Sulley taking care of Randall if/when he gets sick. I'll give you a spoiler and tell you that Randall ends up with a long term illness, so Sulley is practically forced to take care of him. And don't worry; there will be frond stroking either intentional or unintentional after the dance! :D  
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**BloodRedRoses04: That's a very good prediction about something awkward going to happen. Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**marioandsonicFTW: I think that things are getting warm in here too, so it isn't just you. Here's another update! And yay, Sonic Heroes is also one of my all-time favorites!  
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**xBearingSecretsx: Hehe, you thought that the last part of the previous chapter was the best moment in the entire story so far? Awesome! :D Hope you like this next chapter too!  
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**James95: I'm really glad to hear that you liked the twist. I thought that it would be good for Randall to take charge for once instead of Sulley, you know? It makes things more interesting. Thanks for the comment!  
**

**Mysterious: I take it that you like Cosmo then, eh? :P It's totally okay if you do. She's just...not really my type or something, I dunno. I just never liked her so much. Okay, question time! If you were a character in the Sonic world, who do you think that you would be any why? Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**Mickfang27: Randall definitely is a tease, isn't he? I'm glad that you're excited to see what will happen next! You'll find out shortly. ;) I know what you mean about cliches. I think that a mix of them is alright. I mean, I try not to overdo cliches, but I think that a few sprinkled through a story are okay. What do you think about this? And god, same, I dislike MU for being so Mike-centric as well! A Randall movie would've been awesome. Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**badberry123: It's totally okay about not reviewing. I hope that you enjoyed your time in town! I'm so happy to hear that you're liking all of the SulleyxRandall moments in the last two chapters. It is quite obvious at this point that Sulley likes Randall since he does seem to want to do everything with him. I guess that's what happens when you're in love though, eh? Randall is definitely a tease, I agree! The part where they were showing off their moves to one another was my favorite bit. Of course Randall would have to fall on top of Sulley and be blind during that moment. Talk about awkward! Glad to hear that you liked the Born to Please chapter as well! Chet's a little too obsessed with Johnny to notice Nancy right now, I agree. Randall and Sulley bonding over Randall's mother sounds like the perfect way for them to get closer together to me. I think that it's pretty obvious that Sulley would never share one of Randall's secrets, you know? Hehe, I would disappear during the entire school day if I could camouflage probably. xD I'm glad that I'm done with school! We'd be match-making Chet without him even realizing it! And wow, that's awesome that you have so many pets. Do you have a favorite one? Back at my parents' house, I had four cats, three hermit crabs, a tortoise, and a snake. I'm hoping to get some more pets later down the road, but I have too much to worry about right now as it is. Yay, I'm glad that you can sort of see where I'm coming from with the ShadowxMephiles pairing. That was kind of creepy how you could see his demon eye there, but I think that the thing that I like about Mephiles is that he is creepy. Eggman is just sort of a joke to me. Who is your favorite Sonic villain? Thanks so much for reviewing!**

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**Chapter LVI  
**

I'm not sure what sort of demonic possession just took control of me or what gave me the nerve to say just what I did to Sullivan, but at this point, what the hell? He knows how I feel for him, so I might as well not back down now. Silently cursing myself for being unfortunate enough to be born with poor vision, I lean closer to Sullivan, unable to see his face as I whisper in a voice laced with suggestiveness, "Did you invite me here tonight to exchange scare strategies with me or did you invite me here for other reasons?"

"Er…" Sullivan starts out. I can't see the details of his face, but despite this, I'm still able to detect that the shade of his cheeks underneath his fur are pink. The usually confident Sullivan is speechless for once and I start to think that maybe I've gotten this all wrong as Sullivan goes on, "Gosh, Randall, I-"

At that moment, the door to the dorm room flies open with a loud bang and a circular green blur waltzes inside of the room, calling in supposedly melodic tones that cause me to want to buy some permanent earplugs, "Sulley! I'm back! Did you miss me while I was gone? Uh…Sulley? Sulley, where are you? I've been gone all evening! The least I expect from you is a hello back. That's not asking all that much, I think."

I try to stumble back, but it's too late and Wazowski ends up noticing Sullivan and I still tangled up on the floor together. His jaw drops and the cyclops stares at us in shock for a long five seconds. During those five seconds, nobody speaks or moves a muscle. I can't see the details of Sullivan's or Wazowski's faces, but I can definitely see incredulity written all over Wazowski's face.

Finally, the normally talkative eyeball gets his voice back. He clears his throat in an attempt to get his voice back and says, "Gee, Sulley, now I know why you didn't seem too sad that I was going out earlier! I thought that you'd want to come and party with Cee, me, and the girls, but apparently you're having your own party with a certain someone on the floor."

Wazowski emphasizes the last few words of his sentence, causing Sullivan's cheeks to turn from pink to red. I finally manage to scramble to my feet, finding it odd that Sullivan is embarrassed and I'm not. Honestly, I don't give a damn what Wazowski thinks of me. If he wants to think that I had sex with Sullivan, then let him think that. See if I care. Doing it with Sullivan probably wouldn't feel half-bad…

"Mike, look, it's not what you think," Sullivan immediately starts out, trying to deny that the two of us were doing anything improper.

Wazowski, apparently, is not in a mood to listen to Sullivan's excuses. He holds up a hand and says, "Nope, I don't want to hear your excuses, fur boy! It's clear what you've been up to and I don't want to hear another word about it. Although why you choose to do it with lizard boy is beyond me. But, um, for everyone's sake and for your own reputation, I suggest that we keep this quiet, meaning that this little tumble doesn't travel out of this room. Do you have any idea how popular you are, Sulley? If the school gets word of it, you'll turn your reputation inside out!"

"Mikey, for the thousandth time, it's not what it seems!" Sullivan pleads with the green eyeball, trying to get him to see reason. Wazowski, however, appears to be beyond reason. He gives Sullivan a long look out of the corner of his eye and walks away from him. I watch all of this conversation take place in complete silence. It might have been comical to watch if Sullivan wasn't being so insistent on denying that he did anything with me.

When he reaches his bedside, Wazowski leans against the bed and tells Sullivan, "If it's not what it seems, then what was it? What is lizard boy doing in our room?"

"We were just practicing, that's all. I asked Randall to show me some of his scare moves and I was showing him some of mine for a fair exchange," Sullivan explains reasonably. Wazowski continues to look doubtful, but seems to buy Sullivan's story, which is actually the truth to some extent.

"Well, he was obviously showing you some sort of moves, that's for sure," Wazowski points out, causing Sullivan to flame tomato red. Waving a clawed hand through the air, Wazowski goes on, "But really, what does it matter? Let me make it clear that I don't care what you do with any girl or guy monster as long as you keep quiet about it, alright, Sulley? This means that I don't ever want to come up here and find lizard boy in my room again. Got it?"

Wazowski's request is ridiculous, but I wonder for a moment if Sullivan will go along with him since he is the little green monster's roommate. Luckily for me, Sullivan sticks up for me and says, "Mikey, you know that's not fair. You have Celia and her gang over all of the time. If I want to have Randall over to our room for a little while, that's okay."

"It's not okay! He's…he's…he's…" Wazowski stammers, staring at me with a loss for words. His antics are amusing to watch, especially when Wazowski gives up trying to find a word to describe me with and throws his hands up into the air in defeat. He is about to plop down on the bed when I realize that I left my glasses there.

Before anyone can say one-two-three, I zip across the floor and dive forward to rescue my glasses from getting squashed. I hold them out in front of me protectively and glare at Wazowski as I shove them back onto my face, pointing out, "You almost snapped my glasses and these are my only pair."

"Oh, poor you. I suppose that getting it on with Sullivan doesn't make up for the price it would cost you to get new glasses with, huh?" Wazowski says dryly.

"Can it, Wazowski," I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest and deciding that If anyone has the right to be mad in this situation, it's me. After all, Sullivan invited me here and Wazowski has no right to kick a guest out of his roommate's dorm. In a bit of a sour mood, I add, "At least you didn't have to listen to a whole conversation about yourself without participating in it."

Wazowski doesn't seem to follow my words and just gives me a blank look. Sullivan, however, looks guilty and says, "Sorry, Randall. Apparently, Mike here doesn't know how to mind his manners, isn't that right, Mike?"

I watch Sullivan and Wazowski both glower at each other for a few long moments before I decide that enough is enough for one night. At this rate, Sullivan will never want to see me again and why? Well, it's all Wazowski's fault! I give Wazowski a contemptuous look and turn on my heel, pointing on, "Look, I've got homework to do, so I'll scram. See you guys around."

"Mikey, you should at least apologize," Sullivan hisses to Wazowski, who refuses to acknowledge Sullivan. Sighing, Sullivan turns to me and says, "I'll catch you later, Randall."

With that said, I slip out of the door to the dormitory and out into the hallway. It's gotten surprisingly late and I realize that I'm going to have to hurry if I want to get back to my own dorm by curfew. Luckily, I manage to slip through the hallways without delay and fling myself into my dorm with exactly two minutes to spare. Doom isn't in the room as usual. I'm starting to think that he's decided to just ignore curfew. Whatever. If he thinks that he's above the rules, then fine. I don't give a damn about what he does.

Grateful to be all alone, I collapse onto my bed and start thinking about my day. Some parts of it were good and some parts of it were bad. The good points were that Sullivan agreed to pay for a cab so the two of us can bring my mother to a hospital next weekend. That's gonna be good. My mother needs to have some things checked. I want a diagnosis on her state so I know how best to treat her. Another good thing was that I got to spend time with Sullivan today. That's gotta account for something, right? Okay, so those were the better parts of today. Now it's time to move on to the bad parts. Bad part number one is the fact that my mother's condition is getting worse very quickly. She wasn't nearly this bad before I left to go to the university. It's like her state got ten times worse as soon as I left for college. She never talked about little red people before then. My other problem is Wazowski. If he hadn't interrupted Sullivan and me at the worst time possible, I finally would've figured out Sullivan's true feelings for me. I admit that it's a little hard to know what goes through that monster's mind. Sullivan and I are such opposites that we find it hard to relate. It doesn't mean that we're not curious or attracted to each other by any means though. I feel a certain attraction to Sullivan and I could've sworn that he felt the same way towards me, but now I'm just not sure…

Damn you, Wazowski! As soon as I perfect my camouflaging abilities, I'm gonna give you the scare of your life! Maybe it will actually give you a heart attack and I won't have to see you for a good long time since you'll be in the hospital wing, I think to myself, a wicked smile crossing my face.

Another thought occurs to me and I wonder what will happen if Sullivan doesn't have feelings for me. There's a good possibility that he doesn't and that I was just imagining the whole thing because I was getting too carried away with my own feelings. Maybe I shouldn't have been so forward with him. Maybe I should have…wait. I'm being ridiculous at this point. What's done is done. Maybe I got a little carried away, but so what? At least Sullivan knows the truth now and I believe that he deserves to know the truth. I like him. A lot. Is there anything that wrong with that?

I fall asleep with a turmoil of emotions and questions in my head. I forget to set my alarm the next morning, but it doesn't matter too much since it's Saturday and I've got nothing to do but study, do my homework, and work on my history project for my history of Monstropolis class. Of course, I did say that I would go to the hospital wing at some point and get fitted for contacts though. Sullivan originally said that he wanted to go with me to my appointment, but I highly doubt that he's going to want to go with me now after everything Wazowski had to blab about earlier. He's probably embarrassed Sullivan so much that he'll never want to speak to me again. Great. Thanks a lot, Wazowski.

Figuring that I might as well go to the hospital wing before the rest of the students wake up and start filling the hallways with crazy partying, I lug myself out of bed and drag my feet to the floor. I know better than to look in the mirror at this point. My eyes are always bloodshot and tired looking these days. I don't even know why I'm so tired. Yeah, I study hard and take all of my classes seriously, but I'm not exactly what you'd call a workaholic.

As I start down the mostly empty hallways, I realize that I've already forgotten where the hospital wing is. You'd think that I could remember that, but no. There's so much to remember all of the time what with seven or so different classes to go to. Figuring that I will run into a teacher on my way to the hospital wing, I take my time wandering through the hallways since I don't exactly know where I'm going. After about five minutes, I end up running into someone, but it's not the someone that I want to see. Instead of running into one of the teachers, I've just run into Wazowski.

"Randall!" Wazowski exclaims as if seeing me in the hallway is a very weird thing. "What are you doing here?"

"Going to the hospital wing or trying to find the hospital wing if you want to put it that way," I reply to Wazowski with a shrug of my shoulders. "Since when is it a crime to walk down the hallway?"

"It's not a crime. I was just wondering, um…" Wazowski trails off before glancing to his left and right in case someone might be around to hear us. After making sure that nobody is in the vicinity, Wazowski lowers his voice and says, "Look, Randall, I want to talk to you."

"You are talking to me," I reply sarcastically even though I know that Wazowski is trying to be serious.

"Yeah, I get that," Wazowski says, rolling his eyes before he lowers his voice to a whisper and asks, "Randall, um, are you and Sulley, uh, lovers?"

"So this is what you want to talk to me about?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Wazowski In surprise. I can't believe that he's pulling me aside to talk about something like this. Apparently, he is though. Cutting straight to the point, I reply, "No, we're not lovers. We're acquaintances, nothing more, nothing less. Got that or do I need to write it on your forehead for you so that you don't forget it?"

"Ah, no. You don't need to write anything on my forehead," Wazowski quickly points out as he stumbles backward and puts a protective hand over his forehead. Now standing a safe distance away from me, Wazowski adds, "You're sure about you and Sullivan, right? There's nothing weird going on between the two of you?"

"For the thousandth time, no! There's nothing weird going on between the two of us! My god, Wazowski, how many times does someone have to tell you something?" I ask in exasperation, unsure how to get this through the eyeball's head. There's nothing going on between Sullivan and me and that's that.

"Okay, okay, I get the picture. It was just kind of weird how I found the two of you together on the floor last night. You can see why I'd be suspicious, right?" Wazowski asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"If you want the truth, Sullivan and I were showing each other different scaring techniques and I used one that accidentally scared the two of us. Sullivan ran into something behind him and I ran into one of your empty soda cans. We both fell over and voila. You walked in. Now are we good or do you want to put me through the Spanish Inquisition?" I ask in a toneless voice.

"We're good. Believe me, I don't have time for a Spanish Inquisition. I'm off to pay a visit to Cee and then we're going to have a lovely morning stroll around the university. So long, my reptilian adversary," Wazowski calls over his shoulder at me before he disappears from view.

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_Review please! :) Sorry for not updating yesterday. I had like...no energy, lol.  
_


	58. Chapter LVII

**Okay, so I never meant for this chapter to take so long to upload, but the truth is that I'm kind of swamped with life right now and things just seem like a chore and so that's why I didn't upload this until now. I'm thinking about doing weekly updates, you know, like uploading every Wednesday (or is it Thursday?) or something like that. Would that be okay with you guys? You'll still keep reading this, right? I feel bad for not responding to reviews, but I really wanted to get this chapter up ASAP just to let you guys know that I'm not abandoning you for good. Sorry again for the late update and please keep reviewing!  
**

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**Chapter LVII  
**

With Wazowski off to visit "Cee", I'm left alone to continue my quest. I start down the hallway once more, wondering why Wazowski gives a damn about Sullivan and whether or not he's my lover. Of course he's not, but even if he was, then so what? So what if the two of us liked one another enough to engage in something physical? Is it wrong because it makes us feel something? Are we all gonna go to hell over it?

Shaking my head in annoyance and confusion over the whole concept, I turn the corner that leads to my dormitory and practically run smack into someone again. I start to mutter a quick, embarrassed apology before I realize that the someone I've run into his covered with glossy turquoise fur and bright purple polka dots. I immediately bring myself to a standstill and glance up at Sullivan from under heavily-lidded eyes, unsure of how he's going to act toward me after last night. Alright, so maybe I was a little too forward last night. I just felt like the connection between Sullivan and me was there, you know? At least the furry blue monster defended me from Wazowski's biting accusations for a while. Still thou, I don't think that Sullivan feels the same way as I do. Even if he did, would he tell me? Sullivan isn't like me. Contrary to all belief, the popular turquoise beast is not overly confident and cocky. He's got a shy side that reveals itself to you the more you talk to him.

"Sullivan," I say, his name rolling off of my tongue without me even thinking about it. I suppose that I should offer him an apology after last night. Clearing my throat, I tell Sullivan, "Look, I'm sorry for last night. I didn't mean for Wazowski to walk in on us and-"

Sullivan surprises me by holding up his hand to cut me off. Shaking his head vehemently, Sullivan says, "No, wait a second, Randall. It's me who should be sorry. I didn't realize that Mike was going to come back from Celia's room so soon. Well, either that or I just lost track of the time because I was having so much fun with you."

I immediately pick up on Sullivan's key words and raise an eyebrow at him, asking, "Wait, so you're saying that you had fun with me last night?"

"Yeah, I did. Didn't you have a nice time…?" Sullivan trails off, a suddenly doubtful look visible in his light blue irises. I quickly nod to stamp out his fear. The shaggy blue monster relaxes a bit and says, "Okay, good. Well, I'm sorry that Mike had to behave the way he did. I'm not sure what he's got against you, but he's wrong for not giving you a chance. Sure, you're a little quieter than most of the other students, but that's not such a bad thing."

"Believe me, Sullivan, I can have a real big mouth if you piss me off or if I have something to say," I point out ruefully, a sad sort of smile flicking across my lips as I realize that the two of us aren't on such bad terms after all. Maybe last night is just going to be forgotten and Sullivan will give up his friendship with Wazowski for me. Well, maybe not, but maybe he'll at least hold his own against the one-eyed cretin when it comes to our friendship. Someone ought to tell Wazowski that he can't have his psychopathic ways all of the time.

"I still haven't heard you talk much," Sullivan admits, sending me a long look out of the corners of his eyes. "You don't talk that much, not even to me."

"Maybe that's not such a bad thing though. It means that you haven't pissed me off yet," I reply jokingly, trying to ignore the fact that there's a strange sort of tension that continues to linger in the air between Sullivan and me. Wanting to figure out whether or not Sullivan recalls what I said last night when I asked him if we were just friends or not, I add, "I kind of loosened my tongue last night."

"I didn't mind," Sullivan says, clearly trying to skirt the matter. You know, I used to think that I was shy. Now, it seems to me like Sullivan is the shy one and I'm the one who is learning to come out of my shell a little bit more. Suddenly looking uncomfortable, Sullivan bites on his lip and says, "I tried to explain to Mikey that we didn't…uh…um…"

Since it's pretty clear that Sullivan can't say a dirty word aloud, I fill in the blanks for him and say, "That we didn't have sex?"

Sullivan's cheeks turn red from underneath his fur. He shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot, obviously as uncomfortable as Wazowski at the idea of the two of us being together in that way. There goes any hope of me ever wanting to be with Sullivan. The blue monster finally nods and continues on, "Yeah, I tried to explain that to Mike, but I don't know if he believed me or not. It's kind of hard to tell with Mikey sometime. Either way, he said that he was going to keep quiet about it and I said that we won't say anything either."

"What's there to say? Nothing happened. None of it's true," I reply almost bitterly before decided to be a little argumentative. "Wazowski should learn to keep his nose out of other monsters' business though. It's not up to him to decide who you wanna date or who you want to sleep with. Anyway, you'd think that as his roommate, Wazowski would already know that you're not gay. Sometimes I'm surprised that the eyeball even has a brain somewhere in that thick skull of his."

Sullivan looks like he might be about to defend Wazowski, but then sees that I have a good point. Looking as if he's dancing on glass, Sullivan asks, "Uh, Randall? Are you…?"

"Am I what? Gay?" I ask Sullivan a matter of factly. It's getting clearer and clearer to me that Sullivan is a lot shyer than I thought that he was. The big monster nods once in my question and looks at his feet as if he's embarrassed for asking such a thing. I try to figure out how best to answer Sullivan's question and finally decide to give him an indirect answer, saying, "My mother told me once that we can't control who we fall in love with. I believe that. We don't really get a say in the matter. So whether or not you fall in love with a guy or girl monster isn't in your hands even from the beginning. Yeah, some monsters just like guys and some just like girls, but I wouldn't say that I fit under either of those categories. When I find the right monster, I'll know it and I won't give a damn about their gender. What about you, Sullivan? What's your opinion on this whole thing?"

"I guess that I never really gave it much thought before," Sullivan admits, thinking carefully before he admits, "Although I've got to say that what you're saying makes the most sense. I'm with you on the whole concept of love. Anyway, have you found that right monster yet?"

I'm not sure if this is a trick question or not. I think that I've made it quite clear that I like Sullivan although he hasn't made it clear whether or not he likes me just yet. I'm guessing not though considering the way he never really responded to my question regarding us last night. Not wanting to make myself any more vulnerable than I've already made myself, I answer a question with a question, "Have you?"

Sullivan shrugs his shoulders and shuffles his feet as he admits, "I never really thought much about dating anyone until I came here to the university and found myself surrounding by college students making out around every corner."

"Heh, well, that's a sight that you get used to after being here for a few days," I reply before changing the subject, not wanting to create any more tension between us at this point. "I'm just about to go and find the hospital wing to get fitted for those darn contacts. What are you up to?"

"I was looking for you, actually," Sullivan admits, his blush finally fading as we start talking about less sensitive topics. "We were going to go to the hospital wing together, weren't we?"

"Originally, yeah. I figured that you would've changed your mind about it after the whole situation with Wazowski though. But anyway, if you wanna come along, then let's go," I say, pleasantly surprised that Sullivan got up early and was wandering the hallways with the sole purpose of looking for me. I take a step forward before remembering that I don't exactly know where I'm going. Looking sheepish, I turn back over my shoulder to look at Sullivan and ask, "Have any idea where the hospital wing is? I've never been there before."

"I've been there before, but because of Mike, not because of me. He managed to get his finger stuck in the doorway on our very first day at the university," Sullivan says as he lopes forward and falls into step with me, motioning me after him as he says, "Just follow me."

I trail Sullivan by about one step until the two of us reach the handy dandy elevator. I smile at Sullivan in approval and point out in an impressed voice, "You remembered our preferred mode of transportation. Nice. I didn't think that you would remember it."

"I always try to remember little shortcuts like this. They always come in handy," Sullivan replies genially as he presses the red button that brings the elevator down to our floor and then opens it up for us. I almost have to laugh to myself at the irony of how Sullivan and I wait for the elevator. He gently pushes the red button; I slam my fist into it. He casually whistles under his breath as he waits for the elevator to arrive at our level; I click my tongue and pace back and forth in front of the elevator.

As the steel doors open and Sullivan and I stride into the enclosed space together, I ask my opposite monster friend, "Hey Sullivan, how do you manage to stay so relaxed all of the time, huh? I bet that you've been acing your tests, but you don't look like you've even spent one night studying for 'em. If you look at me, on the other hand, well, let's just say that I'm sporting the consequences of long nights of study."

Sullivan shrugs his shoulders and replies, "I don't know really. I guess that I just decided not to let the stress get to me, you know? I study, but I don't overdo it. I think that there's a balance between trying your hardest and going overboard, you know?"

"Well, how do you expect to be the best if you don't go overboard?" I retort, the title of the school's annual top scarer still at the forefront of my mind. I want that title and I'm gonna get it if it's the last thing I do.

"You worry a lot, Randall. Don't you ever just relax and enjoy life?" Sullivan questions me, raising an eyebrow in my direction as the elevator comes to a halt and the steel doors slide open.

"Eh, what's there to enjoy in life? It's always work, work, work. I've gotta work hard at Monsters University so I can graduate and become one of Monsters Inc.'s best workers. Then I'll finally be able to get my mother out of the dump she lives in," I explain my main future goal all in one breath.

"It's really selfless of you to want to help your mom so much, but what about you, Randall?" Sullivan asks, emphasizing my name as he leads me in the direction of the hospital wing. "What are you going to do after you become a worker at Monsters Inc.? Isn't there something more that you want in life for yourself?"

"Hm, good question. Well, first I wanna earn the title of the school's top scarer this year and then I wanna revolutionize the scaring industry," I inform Sullivan with a straight face. He gives me an incredulous look and I chuckle, adding, "Just kidding. Well, about the second part anyway. I've got no clue how to industrialize the scaring industry even if it would bring big bucks in my direction, but anyway, enough about me. What about you? What do you wanna do after you graduate from Monsters University?"

"I'm not sure yet," Sullivan admits with a sideways smile.

"You're one to talk then! You jump all over me for having 'selfless goals' as you call 'em, but you don't even have one future goal for yourself," I point out, shaking my hand with a half-smile on my face.

"Well, I do have some goals for the future, I just haven't thought about what I'm going to do after university yet," Sullivan informs me. "I guess that there are a few things that I want though. I want to get a place of my own and become a worker at Monsters Inc. just like you. Although, if my fraternity doesn't win the great scare games, I can kiss my dream goodbye and I'll have to rework my future plans."

I'm usually on the competitive side, but I find that I don't particularly care about winning the great scare games, probably because I don't believe that a team can earn me the place as the school's top scarer. As long as I get that special title, I don't give a damn about anything else.

Looking up at Sullivan, I say honestly, "I really hope that your fraternity can win the scare games then." Sullivan shoots me a look like I've lost my mind and stops walking for a moment. Since I've got no clue where we're going, I come to a halt too and give Sullivan a questioning look, asking, "What?"

"Nothing. Well, it's just that you're usually kind of competitive about these sorts of things," Sullivan admits what I was thinking just seconds earlier.

"Okay, so you've got me there. I usually am competitive, but I just don't care much about these great scare games. You saw me in gym the other day. I don't work well with a team. I'm gonna create my path to success all on my own. You know, I'd be lucky if I even get into a fraternity for the games," I say with a dry laugh.

"Believe me, fraternities are going to want you on their team," Sullivan says forcefully. "I don't think that the games are all about sports. Sure, there might be some running involved, but it's mostly about scaring, I think."

"God, Sullivan, I would've thought that you would've known better than to mention running in my presence!" I exclaim in mock anger before dismissing the subject by shrugging my shoulders, adding, "Either way, I'm in no hurry for the games. Are we almost to the hospital wing?"

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_Review please! :) Sorry for not updating yesterday. I had like...no energy, lol.  
_


	59. Chapter LVIII

**I know that yesterday was supposed to be my updating day and I sort of skipped it, so I'm sorry for that! I had a really bad day, didn't eat anything, and stayed in bed all day long. The truth is that I finally came face to face with the fact that I'm killing myself and so I went to my parents for help. Sounds hypocritical maybe, yes, but I don't want to die. I've started the "refeeding" process (you can look it up if you dunno anything about anorexia or about eating disorder recovery) and it hurts like hell, but at least I'm making the choice to make a recovery from this stupid shit. I'm tired of being exhausted, not having the energyto write, and feeling like crap constantly. Thank you all for continuing to read this and support me. I could use some love right now, so please keep reading, reviewing, and all of that good stuff. Thanks for putting up with me and my shiz. You guys are the best. :)  
**

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**Chapter LVIII  
**

Sullivan starts walking again and I trail after him with an interesting thought running through my head. According to Sullivan, the great scare games are his last chance to graduate and become a worker at Monsters Inc. Imagine for a second what would happen if Sullivan's fraternity doesn't win the great scare games. What then? His dreams will be shattered before his very eyes and he'll end up flipping burgers at the local restaurant. That makes no sense. I mean, the school's best scarer should definitely graduate and go on to work at Monsters Inc.

I point this out randomly and say, "You know, that's really not fair about what you said regarding graduation and all that. You're the school's best scarer whether I like it or not. You shouldn't not be able to graduate because your fraternity doesn't win the scare games. Listen, if your fraternity doesn't win the games, I'll put in a word to Dean Hardscrabble for your sake, okay? I see her every Tuesday and Thursday. Unlike Mrs. Jones and Ms. Stanley, the Dean seems to be able to tolerate me most of the time."

Sullivan gives me a touched look and says, "Wow, that's pretty nice of you, Randall. If you want to put in a word for me, I'd be grateful. Becoming a worker at Monsters Inc. would be my dream come true. I don't have to be the best there or anything. I just want a position there."

"Well, I'm sure that I can handle the matter with the Dean. She'll listen to me," I say, my voice sounding a little more confident than I feel. The Dean might like me, but is pushing the matter of Sullivan's graduation on her going a step too far? Why do I care so much about whether or not Sullivan graduates anyway? It's not really any of my business…or is it? Trying to ignore just how much I like the monster striding calmly by my side, I change the subject and ask, "Say, how did you manage to escape your fan club this morning? You've usually got Art, Scott, and the twins following you around everywhere."

Sullivan knows better than to deny this since we both know that it's true. Getting a sheepish look on his face, he admits, "I sort of told Mike that I'd be attending his party today, so I think he let it slip to the others that I'd be in my dorm room all day. Of course, I changed my mind about the party last night though, so Mikey will just have to break the news to them."

"Heh, you don't have to play the honest guy, Sullivan. You knew all along that you wouldn't be attending the party," I smirk, liking the sneaky side to Sullivan's character. He's definitely not the monster you think he is at first glance. He looks popular, confident, and like he's got the whole world in the palms of his hands. That's not true though. He's just got as much to worry about as I do concerning graduation and there are also parts about him that you don't catch until you actually talk to the big guy. I continue on, "I dunno how you put up with all of those guys trailing you around twenty four/seven though. Don't you ever just want to tell them to shove off?"

"Sometimes, but they're part of my fraternity. We're like a dysfunctional family in a sense," Sullivan admits, making it appear as if he actually likes hanging out with Scott and the others. Before I can ask him how he can be friends with a faker like Scott, Sullivan stops at a large door to our right and says, "Here's the hospital wing. Do you have the card that the Dean gave you?"

"Yup, it's right here," I tell Sullivan, extending two long, webbed fingertips to show him the card with the Dean's fancy cursive handwriting written all over it. "Let's go in."

Sullivan takes the initiative and props open the door for me, probably having realized since our first meeting that opening heavy doors is not one of my talents. The two of us enter the cavernous room and are immediately surrounded by gray. The carpet is gray, the walls are gray, and even the atmosphere is gray. There are unmarked sections in this large room. Hospital beds, machinery, and tools are clustered together at the far left end of the room, hearing and eye care items seem to be located at the right end of the room, and the front of the room looks like your typical waiting room with gray chairs set around the room to form a half-circle. A table containing outdated magazines is located in the middle of the chairs.

"Hello there, you two. Ah, I recognize you, Mr. Sullivan! It's very good to see you again. How is your friend's hand doing after he got it caught in the door?" a gray monster – what is it with this place and the color gray? – wearing black glasses and a friendly smile greets us as soon as we enter the room.

"Mikey's doing good, thanks for asking, Doctor Smith," Sullivan replies to the doctor in a friendly voice. It's obvious that the two already know each other. I can't say that I'm shocked. Everyone seems to know Sullivan. Turning the conversation away from Wazowski and onto me, Sullivan nods in my direction and says, "My friend here would like to look into getting contacts."

"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine," Doctor Smith tells Sullivan with a smile before he turns to me for the first time and notices my thick-framed purple glasses. He tries not to wince at them as he says, "Yes, I do think that contacts might be the way for you to go. I'm sure that we can find some that will work with you. Right this way, Mr…?"

"Boggs. It's Randall Boggs," I tell the doctor as he leads me to the back right corner of the room.

"It's very nice to meet you then, Mr. Boggs. Please sit down here and let me take a look at your glasses. I will be able to come up with your prescription by looking at them. Tell me, are you having any troubles seeing or do you see perfectly fine using these glasses?" Doctor Smith asks me as I hand my purple-framed glasses over to him.

"I see fine with 'em. Without 'em, I'm mostly blind. All I see are blobs of color," I point out, sending Doctor Smith a sideways look. Even if I don't particularly like my glasses, I'm a little protective of them. After all, without those glasses, I won't be able to see a thing until I come up with the amount of money it will cost for me to buy a new pair of contacts or glasses.

"It looks like you need a heavy duty prescription," the doctor tells me after doing a thorough examination of my glasses. Turning back to me, he asks, "What kind of contacts would you like to try? I have regular ones or colored samples that I can offer you to see if you like the feel of them or not."

My eyes immediately light up at the idea of colored contacts. Changing my eye color might be fun, but just to be on the safe side, I say, "I'll try them both."

"Alright. I'll be back in just a moment," Doctor Smith tells me before disappearing behind a counter somewhere in the distance. I listen to him banging around for the spare contacts inside of it for several minutes before the doctor reappears triumphantly with contacts in hand. He steps back over to me and explains, "The contacts on the left are brown, the middle ones are blue, and the ones on the right are clear. These are just sample contacts, so your vision will likely be fuzzy with them. Putting in contacts sounds harder than it looks. I recommend looking at the ceiling with the eye you're putting the contact into, but do what works for you."

I listen to the doctor's advice before giving him a curt nod. Let me just say that putting contacts in for the very first time is no easy task. Every time I get the damn thing by my eye, I accidentally blink. After about fifteen minutes of holding world war three with the contact, I resort to holding my eyelid open with my opposite hand so I can get the contact in. Finally, I manage to get the contact in on attempt number twenty-something. Now that the left contact is in, I have to get the right one in.

I spend the next hour or so trying on all three pairs of contacts. Sullivan waits patiently for me and even the doctor has the courtesy to stand by and offer me occasional advice or assistance. I don't mind the feel of contacts, but they are kind of a pain to put in, I'll give them that.

After having tried on all of the contacts and now looking through my glasses once again, I turn to Sullivan and say, "What color did you like the most? I'm leaning toward blue, but I dunno."

"Blue is nice, but green is less common. Not that many monsters have green eyes. I like your natural eye color," Sullivan says honestly as he looks into the mirror propped up in front of me.

"Hm," I debate about this for a few minutes. I don't particularly like my green eyes, but if Sullivan likes them, then what the hell? I'll get clear contacts for his sake. Turning back to the doctor, I decide, "I'll take the clear contacts. Um, how much are those gonna cost me?"

"Well, these contacts last a year. You leave them in for a full year and then exchange them at the end of the year," Doctor Smith informs me before admitting, "They're going to cost around two hundred dollars."

My eyes practically bug out of my head when I hear the cost. Two hundred dollars? I certainly don't have two hundred dollars. I open my mouth to protest, but Sullivan touches my shoulder before I can say anything and speaks over me, saying, "We'll take them. When can we pick them up?"

"Well, it usually takes about a month to order contacts, but because this is a special circumstance and this is a friend of yours, James, I'll have the contacts ready by next week. You can pick them up here this time next Saturday. Thanks for dropping by, boys. I'll place your order right now," Doctor Smith says before turning away from us and heading to a computer to place the order just like he said he was going to do.

Shocked for more reasons than one, I follow Sullivan across the room and back out into the hallway. As soon as we've left the hospital wing, I have a lot of questions for him. Raising an eyebrow in his direction, I ask in awe, "How do you do that?"

"Hm?" Sullivan asks me, turning and looking down at me with a confused expression on his face. "How do I do what?"

"What you just did in there. You convinced that doctor to fill out our order four times as fast as usual. Why do monsters like you so much, Sullivan? What is it about you that makes you so likeable?" I ask, fully aware of the jealousy that drips through my voice at these words. "Also, why did you offer to pay for my contacts? I never asked you to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to get them for you. You'll never become the school's top camouflager if your glasses stay visible, you know," Sullivan laughs at the thought of bright purple glasses floating in midair before he grows somber and adds, "But anyway, I never thought of myself as all that likeable of a guy until I came here. I try to be friendly to the other monsters. Maybe that's why I have so many friends? A bit of politeness goes a long way. Remember when Mikey and I first met? We hated each other's guts and first and now we get along just fine."

"I still think that you have a secret that you're not telling me about," I tell Sullivan in a joking manner before I realize that he's come to a halt. Raising an eyebrow at him, I ask, "Are you not coming back to the dorm rooms?"

"Nah, if I go back to the dorm, I'm going to have to join Mikey's party. I'm not going to avoid the party all day, but five hours of partying later tonight is more than enough for me. If I join the party now, I'll be stuck in the middle of it for twelve hours straight," Sullivan says with a shudder. "I like parties, but Mike's parties tend to get out of hand. Anyway, I'm going to go to the gym and work out for a bit. Would you like to come along?"

I debate joining Sullivan for a long moment. Part of me really wants to go to the gym with him, but the other, smarter part of my brain tells me to say no. After all, I still have that long paper on Henry J. Waternoose to write up. So far, I've only taken notes on it.

"I'd like to, but I've got a hell of a lot of work waiting for me on my desk. If I don't get a start on it, it's never going to get done unless I pull all-nighters for the next week and a half," I point out dryly before a thought occurs to me and I ask tentatively, "So what are your plans for tomorrow? Gonna go to another party of Wazowski's?"

"Thankfully, no," Sullivan replies, sending a white-toothed smile in my direction. "One night of partying is more than enough for me. Mikey is going to a party with some of the girls from other dorms tomorrow night. I think they're hosting it at Brittney Davis' room. I'll have full run of the dorm room I share with Mike for at least a few hours at night. Would you like to drop by? We could watch a movie or something. Mikey has a little TV that he showed me how to set up. The screen isn't very big, but it's better than nothing, right?"

"Um hm," I muse before deciding whether or not to accept Sullivan's invitation. There's no getting around the fact that I really do want to spend tomorrow night with Sullivan. Ah, what the hell? I might as well go. I can work on my homework and my paper on Mr. Waternoose earlier in the day. Nodding, I admit, "Sure, I'd like to drop by. I don't have anyone to keep me company in my dorm except for Doom, and believe me, he isn't much company. I'll see ya around, Sullivan. Thanks again for the contacts. I'll pay you back by making sure that you graduate. Who knows? You'll probably end up as one of Monsters Inc.'s top workers someday."

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_Review please! :)  
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	60. Chapter LIX

**Time for the weekly update. Hope you guys like it. :)  
**

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**Chapter LIX  
**

Now that I have my contacts ordered and now that Sullivan is off to the gym, I start winding my way back up to my own dorm so I can get some of my homework done. I have so much studying to do. There's arithmetic and science to study for, history homework to read, a history paper to write, and of course there's scaring practice. I need to practice my camouflaging so I can get good at it. The Dean says that I'll eventually be able to disappear in the blink of an eye, but I haven't gotten to that point yet…

As I think about everything that I have to do and weave my way in and out of the monsters that have recently spilled out into the hallways now that it's Saturday afternoon, I suddenly notice that a large shadow has fallen over me. I bring myself to a halt before I can knock into the origin of the shadow. Glancing upward, I notice the tall figure of one of the members from one-eyed Doom's gang looming over me. A lump forms in the back of my throat. I'm not exactly scared, but the members of Doom's gang all have a hard look to them. This monster certainly looks menacing with his large dark purplish form. The two horns curving out from the sides of his head don't exactly diminish the menacing look.

"Hey. I don't think that we've ever spoken before. I'm Johnny Worthington, leader of the Roar Omega Roar fraternity. You've heard of me, no doubt," Johnny Worthington says, an air of conceit in his voice as he goes on about his reputation. Since I've never heard of Johnny before in my life, I stay silent and wait for the monster to go on. He looks surprised as he questions, "No? Well, my name is certainly one that you will be hearing a lot more of in the next few weeks. Why, when school is over for the year and I've won the great scare games for my fraternity, everyone will look back on me with respect and a smile on their faces."

I understand Johnny's ambition to be remembered and all that, but the two of us are still on opposite ends of the spectrum. Johnny wants to be remembered for the great scare games and I want to be remembered as the school's top scarer. So far, Johnny hasn't done much to impress me.

Johnny waits for me to speak, but when it becomes clear that I'm not going to say anything, he goes on, "Anyway, I've been recruiting members for the Roar Omega Roar fraternity. I'm inviting only the best, scariest, and most skilled monsters to join the fraternity. It's an honor to be invited. I've decided to make you the last member of our fraternity. Your presence on the Roar Omega Roar fraternity team will be appreciated."

I blink slowly, finding it odd that Johnny is suddenly so interested in me after not talking to me for the first few weeks of school. He's obviously seen me before. Feeling a little suspicious and not exactly motivated to become part of these great scare games, I reply, "Thanks for the offer, but I have to think on it."

Johnny's facial expression immediately turns sour when I say that I have to think about it. He shakes his head vigorously and says, "I don't think that you understand the situation. It's an honor to be invited to join the fraternity. It's not something that you or anyone should even think about saying no to."

Figuring that Johnny isn't an enemy that I want to have, I choose my words carefully and say, "It's not that I've got anything against your fraternity. I just don't think that I'm the best, the most skilled, or the scariest. If you wanna recruit someone, recruit Sullivan and get him out of the gang of losers he's going to participate with for the scare games."

As much as I do not particularly like Johnny, I realize that Sullivan will have a better chance at winning the great scare games with monsters like Johnny on his side. At least Johnny actually looks scary. Scott Squibbles looks less than scary and I don't even want to try and put a label on Art and the others…

"Sulivan? Why would we want Sullivan on our team?" Johnny asks, disdain dripping from his voice. I blink in surprise. Out of all my days here at the university, I haven't met anyone who dislikes Sullivan up to this point. Apparently, I just found the first Sullivan hater. Sneer still planted on his face, Johnny continues on, "He's a good scarer I'll admit, but his popularity and the group of nobodies he allows to follow him around make me nauseous. We want someone like you on our team, Randy. You've got the brains and the scaring ability to be on team Roar Omega Roar."

"Have you ever seen me in gym?" I ask with a half-smile. "It ain't a pretty sight. Like I said earlier, I don't work well in groups. Honestly, I'm debating even joining a fraternity for the scare games. I'd prefer just to put my full effort into my own future, not a temporary fraternity."

Johnny immediately hardens at this remark. His dark eyes take on an evil gleam and his hands ball up into fists. For a moment, I think that he's going to hit me. Knuckles now the color of light purple in contrast to his dark purple color, Johnny replies through clenched teeth, "You have to participate in the great scare games. It's not a choice if you want to be a scarer. You do want to be a scarer, don't you?"

My face falls at this remark. I had thought that participating in the scare games was an optional matter. Apparently not. In this case, I guess that I should accept the offer to be in Johnny's fraternity. I mean, it's not exactly likely that I'll be invited to join any other fraternity. Hell, I don't even know if there are any other fraternities. I assume that there are, but who knows? Not me.

"On a second thought, I guess that I wouldn't mind being part of Team Omega…what was it again?" I ask Johnny with raised eyebrows since I've already forgotten the team name.

"Team Roar Omega Roar," Johnny tells me, his fists unclenching and what could be seen as an amiable smile now crossing his face. "We'll be glad to have you on our team, Mr. Boggs. Listen, we're holding a team meeting tomorrow evening at six in the library. You'll meet us there, won't you?"

"Yeah, sure," I reply absentmindedly before asking, "Is there anything else you want me to do?"

"Not for now, but you'll have to wear the Team Roar Omega Roar sweatshirt at each meeting once it's given to you at our first meeting," Johnny tells me with a serious expression on his face.

For some reason, the prospect of having to wear a sweatshirt to team meetings doesn't really sit well with me. Choosing my words carefully since Johnny has proven himself not to be a monster to mess with, I add, "Isn't that slightly…um…preppy?"

"Preppy, maybe, but our rivals will learn that it masks our true nature," Johnny says with a wink as a twisted smile crosses his face. "You'll find out more about our purpose and concepts at the meeting tomorrow. See you then."

With that said, Johnny gives me a wave as he strides away, still smiling knowingly to himself. I watch the big monster disappear from view, already having second thoughts about joining fraternity Roar Omega Roar. I don't know anything about the team other than the fact that Johnny is the team leader. I don't know who the other members are, don't know what their personalities are like, and definitely don't know whether or not I'm going to get along with them.

I approach my dorm room minutes later, still worrying about the scare games. I hadn't given them much thought before today, but now they're stuck in my head and I have something else to worry about. Great. It wasn't like I was already stressed out enough as it was, right?

I smile bitterly at my own sarcasm and let myself into my dorm room. I immediately plop down at my desk and dig out my notes on Henry J. Waternoose. Although the paper isn't due for a few days, I really just want to get it done. After skimming through my notes, I flick through the book one more time in case I missed an important fact about the influential monster the first time I read through it. Surprisingly enough, there was something that I missed about Mr. Waternoose. According to the book spread out in front of me, Monsters Inc. has always been owned by a Waternoose. The current overseer of the company is Henry J. Waternoose the third. Interesting. It must be like a family business of some sort. I jot this down and then review my notes one more time before finally starting my paper.

By the time night comes around, I'm completely exhausted. I have a rough draft done for my paper on Mr. Waternoose, but that's not what exhausted me. I'm pretty darn sure that it's the constant anxiety that stresses and tires me out so much. All of my energy seems as if it has been drained from my limbs as I force myself to my feet and sag across the room to my bed. My eyes are darker than usual and my pulse is too slow. Time seems to slow down as I fall onto my bed and collapse on it. I don't even have time to worry about Johnny or the great scare games before falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning, I wake up to see bright sunlight flooding into my dorm room. The blinding light makes me groan. I throw my pillow over my face before realizing that I have things to do. Yes, it's Sunday, but that doesn't mean that I don't have work to do. In fact, I do have a lot of work to do. I have to edit my paper and come up with a final draft for it, complete all of my homework, and do all of my studying.

Thinking about this makes me want to go into hibernation here under the sheets and blankets that tuck me comfortingly against the bed, but I ignore my body's wishes – something that I'm getting used to doing – and drag myself over to my desk. I'm alone in the room as usual. Doom never seems to be around. I don't have time to worry about him now though. I need to concentrate on getting my stupid paper written.

Four hours and three torn up drafts later, I sit in my desk chair twiddling my thumbs and biting my lip nervously as I reread my final draft on Henry Waternoose. I'm not particularly satisfied with what I wrote. In fact, there's a big chunk in the middle that I'm debating about fixing…

Nah, I don't need to make a fifth copy of the paper. That's starting to get a little crazy. I'm not that OCD, am I? I don't bother answering my own question since anyone who rewrites a paper four times is obviously OCD and so I move on to my next bit of homework. I have to write the rest of my history chapter because a certain one-eyed cretin was distracting me from reading it on Wednesday like I should have done.

Keeping thoughts of Wazowski out of my head, I spend the rest of the day reading my homework and studying. By six pm, I'm exhausted again, but definitely not exhausted enough to call it a night. I didn't forget Sullivan's offer and I'm still planning on dropping by his dorm. I've gotta take advantage of the fact that Wazowski is out for the night.

Smothering a yawn, I let myself out of my dorm room and practically drag my feet on my way down to the opposite side of the school where Sullivan's dormitory is located. On my way there, I keep one eye open for Funk. I know that it's only been three days since I last saw him, but three days is a long time. Where could that little guy be? If I don't see him on Monday, I'm gonna intentionally go out and look for him. Funk's name is not going to get added to the list of monsters who have disappeared recently.

As I approach Sullivan's dormitory, I find Sullivan himself striding down the hallway perpendicular to the one I'm slithering down. It looks like he's on his way back to his dorm room with a pile of snacks in his arms. As he walks along, a female student suddenly steps out in front of him. I'm pretty sure that I've seen her before in history. What was her name again? Nadya maybe? God, I dunno. I fail at keeping track of names.

Nadya (I think), tucks her sleek, shoulder-length purple hair behind her ears and gives Sullivan a winning smile from between dark red lips. She focuses her kohl-rimmed eyes on her target and greets Sullivan, "Hey Sulley. How's it going? Are you going to a party or something?"

"Hey Nadya," Sullivan replies good-naturedly as he comes to a halt in front of the goth girl. "I'm not going to a party actually. I'm just going to enjoy a good movie and some munchies on my own for a bit. Mike's over at Brittney's dorm with a bunch of her sorority sisters. I figured that I'd better celebrate the silence for a while."

"Yeah, I don't blame you there," Nadya says, her smile widening as she tries to flutter her long lashes at Sullivan. The funny thing is that Sullivan isn't picking up on any of her hints at all. He just looks at her like he would look at any other monster. Nadya tries her luck in a different method and suddenly sighs dramatically, saying, "It might be nice to get invited to a small party though. I don't like Brittney and her girls and they don't like me. I hang out with Rosie sometimes, but she's usually too busy with her studies to just hang out, you know?"

I continue eaves-dropping in to the conversation from where I'm standing down the hallway. Holding my breath, I wait to see whether or not Nadya is going to get her way. She clearly wants Sullivan to invite her to his dorm. Is she gonna get lucky in more ways than one?

"I'm sorry to hear that, Nadya. If I see Rosie sometime soon, I'll try and drop her a hint, okay?" Sullivan tells Nadya, which is actually pretty ironic considering the fact that he is completely missing the hint that she is giving him.

"Thanks," Nadya replies, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she realizes that Sullivan isn't going to invite her back to his room. She sends him a half-smile and then waves before saying, "Well, I guess that I'll just be going then. See you around."

I watch the two part and start down different directions. A wave of relief washes over me. If Sullivan had taken up Nadya's request, I would've been in for a very long night.

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_Review please! :)  
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	61. Update

**Hey guys! First of all, I just want to say thank you all for being such amazing readers, supporters, and friends of mine! As most of you know, I've been battling an eating disorder for close to five years now. At this point in my life, I'm going to take some time off of and spend some time with my family. I've recently become a Christian, and at this point, I'm just praying for God's will to be done. This is a bit of a scary time for me, but I believe that He has a plan for me and I hope that I have a place with Him in heaven when my time is up. Like I said earlier, you've all been the best of friends to me and I can't thank you enough for your support. I'll be praying for you all and I love you all so much. Thank you for understanding. :)**


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